Faculty in the Department of Sociology engage in meaningful, community-based research. Below are examples of their areas of expertise as well as recently-funded research projects.

Border and Latino Studies, and Race and Ethnicity

Research interests include Latino studies, migration and immigration to the US-Mexico border, race and ethnic relations, and transnationalism.

  • Christopher Ellison
  • Andrea Ruiz

Cultural, Media and Communication Studies

Research interests include multimedia sociology, sociology of art and sociology of culture.

  • John Bartkowski
  • Melinda Denton
  • Christopher Ellison
  • Michael Miller

Family and Child Development

Research interests include interracial marriage, minority children, sociology of adolescence, sociology of childhood, sociology of family and sociology of gender.

  • John Bartkowski
  • Melinda Denton
  • Christopher Ellison
  • Andrea Ruiz
  • Xiaohe Xu

Health and Illness

Research interests include adolescent health, child malnutrition, mental health, public health, psychology of health/illness and reproductive health.

  • John Bartkowski
  • Christopher Ellison
  • Andrea Ruiz
  • Xiaohe Xu

Religion

Research interests include multifaceted linkages between religion and various social institutions and sociology of Islam.

  • John Bartkowski
  • Melinda Denton
  • Christopher Ellison
  • Andrea Ruiz
  • Xiaohe Xu

Theory

The Department offers both classical and contemporary social theories.

  • John Bartkowski

Sociology Graduate Student Publications with Faculty

Dr. Bartkowski

  • Bartkowski, John P., Carma S. Deem, and Christopher G. Ellison. 2015. Publishing in Academic Journals: Strategic Advice for Doctoral Students and Academic Mentors. The American Sociologist 46(1): 99-115.
  • Ogland, Emmanuelle G., Xiaohe Xu, John P. Bartkowski, and Curtis P. Ogland. 2014. Intimate Partner Violence against Married Women in Uganda. Journal of Family Violence 29(8): 869-879.
  • Rendon, Joshua J., Xiaohe Xu, Melinda Lundquist Denton, and John P. Bartkowski. 2014. Religion and Marriage Timing: A Replication and Extension. Religions 5(3): 834-851.
  • Ogland, Curtis P., and John P. Bartkowski. 2014. Biblical Literalism and Sexual Morality in Comparative Perspective: Testing the Transposability of a Conservative Religious Schema. Sociology of Religion 75(1): 3-24.
  • Xu, Xiaohe, John P. Bartkowski, and Kimberly A. Dalton. 2011. The Role of Cohabitation in Remarriage: A Replication. International Review of Sociology 21(3): 549-564.
  • Ogland, Curtis P., Xiaohe Xu, John P. Bartkowski, and Emmanuelle G. Ogland. 2011. The Association of Religion and Virginity Status among Brazilian Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health 48(6): 651-653.
  • Ogland, Curtis P., Thankam S. Sunil, John P. Bartkowski, and Xiaohe Xu. 2010. Religious Influences on Teenage Childbearing among Brazilian Female Adolescents: A Research Note. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49(4): 754-760.
  • Bartkowski, John P., and Sarah Shah. 2014. Religion and Gender Inequality. Pp. 173-194 in Religion and Inequality, edited by Lisa A. Keister and Darren E. Sherkat. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Bartkowski, John P., and Ashraf Alam. 2012. Media Portrayals of the Moral Majority. Pp. 333-346 in The Oxford Handbook of Religion and the News, edited by Diane Winston. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dr. Denton

  • Melinda Lundquist Denton and Julian Culver. 2015. “Variation in Adolescent and Emerging Adult Religiosity.” Sociology of Religion 76(2): 222-239. doi:10.1093/socrel/srv014
  • Rendon, Joshua, Xiaohe Xu, Melinda Lundquist Denton and John P. Bartkowski. 2014. “Religion and Marriage Timing: A Replication and Extension.” Religions. 5, 834–851; doi:10.3390/rel5030834

Dr. Ellison

  • Bartkowski, John P., Carma S. Deem, and Christopher G. Ellison. 2015. “Publishing in Academic Journals: Strategic Advice for Doctoral Students and Academic Mentors.” The American Sociologist 46: 99-115.
  • Acevedo, Gabriel A., Christopher G. Ellison, and Murat Yilmaz. 2015. “Religion and Child-rearing Attitudes among Turkish Adults.” Journal of Family Issues 36: 1595-1623.
  • Bradshaw, Matt, Christopher G. Ellison, Qijuan Fang, and Collin Mueller. Listening to Religious Music and Mental Health in Late Life. The Gerontologist. first published online April 15, 2014. doi:10.1093/geront/gnu020
  • Ellison, Christopher G., Qijuan Fang, Kevin J. Flannelly, and Rebecca A. Steckler. 2013. Spiritual Struggles and Mental Health: Exploring the Moderating Effects of Religious Salience. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 23: 214-229.

Dr. Xu

  • Ogland, Emmanuelle G., Xiaohe Xu, John P. Bartkowski and Curtis P. Ogland. 2014. “Intimate Partner Violence against Married Women in Uganda.” Journal of Family Violence. 29: 869-879. DOI 10.1007/s10896-014-9640-3
  • Rendon, Joshua, Xiaohe Xu, Melinda Lundquist Denton and John P. Bartkowski. 2014. “Religion and Marriage Timing: A Replication and Extension.” Religions. 5, 834–851; doi:10.3390/rel5030834
  • Xu, Xiaohe, John P. Bartkowski, and Kimberly Dalton. 2011. “The Role of Cohabitation in Remarriage: A Replication.” International Review of Sociology. 21: 549-564; doi:10.1080/03906701.2011.625664
  • Ogland, Curtis P., Xiaohe Xu, John P. Bartkowski and Emmanuelle G. Ogland. 2011. “The Association of Religion and Virginity Status among Brazilian Adolescents.” Journal of Adolescent Health. 48: 651-653; doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.09.018
  • Ogland, Curtis P., Thankam S. Sunil, John P. Bartkowski and Xiaohe Xu. 2010. “Religious Influences on Teenage Childbearing among Brazilian Female Adolescents: A Research Note.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 49:754–760.

  • Gabriel Acevedo (Co-PI) and Dr. John P. Bartkowski (Internal reviewer). ADVANCE IT – Catalyst: Institutional Self-Study on Women Faculty in STEM and SBS Disciplines at UTSA. PI: Dr. John Frederick, Co-PIs: Dr. Heather Shipley and Dr. Valerie Sponsel. Two year (2014-2016) grant funded in the amount of $168,000 by the National Science Foundation.
  • Raquel Marquez (Co-PI). Title V grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The primary goal is to increase Hispanic, low SES, and First Generation undergraduate transfer, retention and graduation rates at both UTSA and ACC. $3.25 million. PI: Rhonda Gonzales, Co-PI: Patricia Sanchez.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). Alvarez Research Fellowships, UTSA Mexico Center 2015, $16,000.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Research grant to study affordable housing in Eagle Ford Shale area, $350,000, 2015-2017.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). UTSA Office of Research, Transnational Working Group Research Initiative, $10,000.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). Alvarez Research Fellowships, UTSA Mexico Center 2014, $16,000.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). Baptist Child and Family Services (BCFS), Subcontract grant from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, $90,759, 2014-2015.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). City of San Antonio, Second year, Access to College for Early Childhood Educators, $77,514, 2013-2014.
  • Harriett Romo (PI). Baptist Child and Family Services (BCFS), Subcontract grant from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, $82,371, 2013-2015.
  • Thankam Sunil (PI). Oh, Snap! funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). $900,000, 2013-2016.
  • Thankam Sunil (PI). Alcohol, HIV, Hepatitis Awareness (AHHA!) funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). $900,000, 2015-2017.
  • Thankam Sunil (PI). Project SHAPE: Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education funded by SAMHSA for a total of $1.4 million ($283,875 each year), 2015-2019.