Nathan Rousseau

Phone:

812-348-7348

Email:

narousse@iu.edu

Department:

Division of Liberal Arts

Professional Summary

My early academic interests were in psychology and theology. I worked as a counselor in mental health units in hospitals and research centers such as the National Institute of Mental Health. While working towards my Master’s degree in psychology, I was a research assistant in mental health at the University of California, San Francisco. Subsequently I earned my PhD in sociology at the University of Oregon. My dissertation was in the sociology of religion. While I was in graduate school, I had the pleasure of attending seminars with individuals such as Albert Ellis, Carl Rogers, Angela Davis, Jacob Needleman, Maurice Friedman, Alan W. Anderson, J. Krishnamurti, Herbert Guenther, and Benton Johnson. During this time, I also became more engaged in civil rights activities including organizing events in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., raising awareness about human trafficking, and serving as a Human Rights Commissioner. The majority of my time as an academic was at Jacksonville University in Florida and currently at Indiana University Columbus. I remain interested in a variety of fields such as civil rights, trends in higher education, and the sociology of mental health. My current research is on race and ethnic relations and neoliberalism in higher education.

Education

Administrative & Service Activities

Indiana University Columbus

Indiana University Columbus

• Introduction to Sociology (in person and on-line)
• Social Problems
• Social Theory
• Social Factors in Health and Illness (in person and on-line)
• Sociology of Mental Illness
• Sociological Perspectives on the Life Course
• Sociology of Death and Dying
• Race and Ethnic Relations
• Conflict and Nonviolence
• International Virtual Exchange with Newcastle University on Intercultural Communication
  

Jacksonville University

• Introduction to Sociology
• Social Problems (service-learning course)
• Social Theory
• Social Research Methods
• Medical Sociology
• Personality and Culture
• Conflict and Nonviolence
• Race and Ethnicity
• Study Abroad to Egypt and Israel

Hanover College

• Introduction to Sociology
• Social Problems
• Social Theory

University of Oregon

• Introduction to Sociology
• American Society
• Conflict and Nonviolence
• Race & Ethnicity

Washington State University Vancouver

• Introduction to Sociology
• Social Problems
• Conflict and Nonviolence
• Social Theory

Professional Memberships

• American Sociological Association
• British Sociological Association
• Southern Sociological Society
• North Central Sociological Association
• Authors Guild  

Current Research

• Rousseau, N. and Schartner, A. (Newcastle University). Comparative survey of the experience of international students from the ‘Global South’ attending university in the United States or the United Kingdom.
• Rousseau, N. Structured interviews with civil rights leaders concerning the backlash against racial progress in the United States.

Publications

Books

• Rousseau, N. Forthcoming 2025. Normalizing Precarity in Higher Education: Universities and the Neoliberal Society. Routledge.
• Rousseau, N. 2014. Society Explained: An Introduction to Sociology. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
• Rousseau, N. 2002. Self, Symbols, and Society: Classic Readings in Social Psychology. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
• Rousseau, N. 1999. Internationalizing Sociology in the Age of Globalization: A Curriculum Guide. Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association. Montalbano

 Articles and Additional Publications 

• Rousseau, N. 2021. “The Death of Critical Thinking at Neoliberal U.” Social Justice: A Journal of Crime, Conflict, and World Order 48(2).
• Rousseau, N. (2020).  "The Sociological Imagination, Neoliberalism, and Higher Education."  Social Currents 7(5), 395-401.
• Rousseau, N. (2019).  "Martin Luther King, Neoliberalism, and Equality of Opportunity," in Lori Montalbano (editor) Gender, Race, and Social Identity in American Politics.  Lexington Books.
• Rousseau, N.  (2008). "Secularization," In V. Parrillo (ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Problems (pp. 817-819). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Rousseau, N. and S. Rousseau.  (1999). "Dr. King’s Giant Triplets: Racism, Materialism, Militarism," In L. Forcey and I. Harris (eds.), Peacebuilding for Adolescents (pp. 17-33).  New York: P. Lang.
• Rousseau, N. (1998). "A Typology of Seekership,"  Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 9, 75-96.
• Rousseau, N. (1998). Book review [Review of the book Millennium, messiahs, and mayhem: Contemporary apocalyptic movements by T. Robbins & S. J. Palmer, eds.], Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 37, 548-550.
• Rousseau, N. (1998). Book review [Review of the book Primitivism, radicalism, and the lamb’s war: The Baptist-Quaker conflict in 17^th century England by T. L. Underwood], Review of Religious Research, 40, 189-190. 
• Rousseau, N.  (1998). "War and peace:  A personal approach,"  In M. Ender (ed.), The Sociology of Peace and War: A Curriculum Guide (pp. 24-25).  Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association. 

Conferences

• Rousseau, N. “Normalizing Precarity Through Education for the Neoliberal Society.” Presentation at the British Sociological Association conference, University of Manchester, 2023.
• Presider of session on the Sociology of Education at the British Sociological conference, University of Manchester, 2023.
• Rousseau, N. and Schartner, A. "Virtual Intercultural Encounters in Higher Education." Virtual presentation at the International Virtual Exchange conference, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2023.
• Rousseau, N. "Principles of a Liberal Arts Education." Discussant at the virtual Future U Faculty Forum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI., 2023.
• Presider of session on Race, Ethnicity, and Migration at the virtual British Sociological Association conference, 2022.
• Rousseau, N. “The Erosion of Majors in Higher Education.” Presentation at the North Central Sociological Association conference, Indianapolis, IN, 2022.
• Rousseau, N. “The Death of Critical Thinking at Neoliberal U.” Invited virtual presentation at the Future U Faculty Forum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI., 2022.
• Rousseau, N. “Deconstructing Neoliberalism in Higher Education.” Presentation at the virtual British Sociological Association conference, 2021.
• Presider of session on Race, Ethnicity, and Migration at the virtual British Sociological Association conference, 2021.
• Rousseau, N. “The Sociological Imagination, Neoliberalism, and Higher Education.” Keynote speaker at the virtual Future U Faculty Forum, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI., 2020.
• Rousseau, N. “The Sociological Imagination, Neoliberalism, and Higher Education.” Presentation at the North Central Sociological Association, Cincinnati, OH, 2019.
• Rousseau, N. “Reflections on the Research and Teaching of the Sociological Imagination.” Presentation at the North Central Sociological Association meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2018.
• Presider of session entitled “Designing Introductory Sociology courses.” North Central Sociological Association meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2018.
• Rousseau, N. “Worldly Values: Big and Small.” Invited presentation at the College of Arts and Sciences Speaker’s Series, Jacksonville University: Jacksonville, FL., 2017.
• Rousseau, N. “Neoliberalism and the Sociological Imagination.” Presentation at the Southern Sociological Society conference, Atlanta, GA, 2016.
• Rousseau, N. “Beyond Institutional Discrimination.” Keynote speaker at the College of Arts and Sciences annual lecture, Bethune- Cookman University: Daytona, FL., 2015.
• Rousseau, N. “A Social History of Elitism and Utilitarianism in American Education.” Presentation at the Pacific Sociological Association conference, Portland, OR, 2014.
• Rousseau, N. “Stories as Real Life: Imagination and Cognitive Development.” Presentation at the Pacific Sociological Association conference, Portland, OR, 2012.
• Rousseau, N. “Seeking shelter from the bomb.” Invited presentation honoring the 50-year anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Jacksonville University: Jacksonville, FL., 2012.
• Rousseau, N. “The Intrinsic Dangers of Bureaucracy.” Invited presentation in honor of Remembering for the Future Community Holocaust Initiative, Jacksonville, University: Jacksonville, FL., 2011.
• Rousseau, N. “The Impact of Work on the Symbolic Interpretation of Self and Society.” Presentation at the Southwestern Social Science Association conference, Albuquerque, NM, 2007.
• Rousseau, N. “Privatization, Globalization, Education, and the Rediscovery of Martin Luther King, Jr.” Paper presented at the Pacific Sociological Association conference, Portland, OR, 1999.
• Rousseau, N. “Globalization’s Impact on the American Family.” Presentation at the North Central Sociological Association conference, Cleveland, OH, 1998. 

Civic Engagement