Sociology – Faculty and Staff

Ph. D. - Kent State University, 2013

Bio

Dr. Jessica L. Burke is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Francis Marion University.  Her research focuses on examining interracial relationships from a stress process approach, applying identity theory to domestic violence, with a particular emphasis on female perpetrators, and using identity theory to examine the impact stigmatized identities have on well-being and mental health.  Dr. Burke has a peer-reviewed article forthcoming in Race, Gender, and Class.  This article examines psychological distress among Latino intra-ethnic and inter-ethnic relationships.  She has also published a book chapter on interracial relationships and cultural metaphors, and is currently writing two book chapters for an edited volume on domestic violence.  She has presented her research at various national and regional conferences, including the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, the Southern Sociological Society, and the American Society of Criminology.

Courses Taught: 

• SOCI 201: Principles of Sociology
• SOCI 205: Marriage and Family Relations
• SOCI 310: Racial and Cultural Minorities
• SOCI 315: Sex and Gender in Social Contexts
• SOCI 361: Society and the Individual
• SOCI 375: Sociology of Health and Medicine
• SOCI 382: Sociology of Families
• SOCI 403: Survey Methodology

Ph. D. – Texas A&M University, 2014

Bio

Dr. Todd C. Couch is an Assistant Professor of Sociology. His research focuses on examining racial and ethnic relations in the United States from various theoretical perspectives. Dr. Couch's research using systemic racism theory to analyze threat narratives promoted by student gun rights organization Students for Concealed Carry on Campus was recently published in Issues in Race and Society. His current research examines racialized emotions and the influence of inverted epistemology in constructing vulnerability narratives. He also serves as an expert reviewer for The Journal of Historical Sociology. Dr. Couch has presented his research at national and regional conferences, including the American Sociological Association, the American Society of Criminology, the Association of Black Sociologists, the Southern Sociological Society, and the Southwestern Social Science Association.

Courses Taught:

SOCI 201: Principles of Sociology

SOCI 310: Racial and Cultural Minorities

SOCI 311: Economic Inequality

SOCI 375: Sociology of Health and Medicine

SOCI 389: Sociology of Religion

Ph. D. - Louisiana State University, 2011

Bio

Dr. Jessica M. Doucet is an Associate Professor of Sociology.  Since joining the FMU faculty in 2011, her research has focused on numerous aspects of crime and violence in our society.  Much of her research stemming from her dissertation has studied crime in New Orleans, LA.  Her current lines of research include studies on domestic and gun violence.  Dr. Doucet has published articles in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Social Science Research, and the International Journal of Rural Criminology.  In addition, she has authored and co-authored four book chapters for publication in edited volumes on gun violence, rural criminology, and domestic violence.  She has presented her research at various local and national conferences, including the American Society of Criminology, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the Southern Sociological Society.

Courses Taught: 

• SOCI 201: Principles of Sociology
• SOCI 303: Quantitative Methods in Social Research
• SOCI 306: Social Problems
• SOCI 339: Sociological Theory
• SOCI 341: Criminology
• SOCI 343: Juvenile Delinquency
• SOCI 344: Violence in Society
• SOCI 352: Rural Crime

Ph. D. - University of South Carolina, 1996

Bio

Dr. Eargle is a Board of Trustees’ Research Scholar and Professor Sociology.  She was chair of the department from 2013-2019.  Her research focuses primarily on the areas of disasters and crime. Dr. Eargle has published six edited books: Black Beaches And Bayous: The BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Disaster (2012), Savage Sand And Surf: The Hurricane Sandy Disaster (2015), Gun Violence In American Society: Crime, Justice And Public Policy (2015), Revival, Redemption, Recovery and Resilience: The Gulf Coast 10 Years After Hurricane Katrina (2016), Dark Denials and Despicable Damage: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in America (2017), and On These Mean Streets, People are Dying: Police and Citizen Brutality in America (2019). She is currently working on other book projects that examine terrorism in the US and human trafficking. She has also received a McNair Center grant to study the impacts of Hurricane Matthew on the resources and well-being of residents in the Pee Dee region. Her work also appears in numerous other books and journals, and she has conducted workshops and presentations at a variety of professional conferences.

Courses Taught: 

• SOCI 306: Social Problems
• SOCI 331: Environment, Power, and Opportunity
• SOCI 346: Crime and Organizations
• SOCI 347: Alcohol, Drugs and Society
• SOCI 349: Hate Crimes and Terrorism
• SOCI 374: Work in Society
• SOCI 388: Disasters and Extreme Events
• SOCI 407: Urban Sociology
• SOCI 419: Population and Society

Ph. D. – University of Oklahoma, 2018

Bio

Dr. Kiley Molinari is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology.  Her research focuses on topics such as material culture studies, Indigenous new media, language and cultural revitalization and retention, digital cultural heritage, and collaborative research in Native North America.  She has been working on various projects and presentations with the Apsáalooke People (Crow Tribe) since 2010.  Dr. Molinari has an article published in the <em>Journal of Northwest Anthropology</em> concentrating on part of her MA research.  She has presented her research at various national and regional anthropology conferences including, the Northwest Anthropological Conference, the Plains Anthropological Conference, the Society for Applied Anthropology, and the American Anthropological Association, as well as other symposiums relating to Heritage Studies and Museum Anthropology.

Courses Taught:

ANTH 100: Introduction to Anthropology

ANTH 205: Introduction to Biological Anthropology

ANTH 215: Language and Culture

ANTH 220: Native Peoples of North America

ANTH 230: Cultural Anthropology

Ph. D. - Kent State University, 2000

Bio

Dr. Russell (Rusty) Ward is a native of Zanesville, OH. Much of his research examines whether high school sports connect with social and cultural capital in ways that narrow or reinforce educational achievement gaps between boys and girls, racial-ethnic minorities and whites, and poor and nonpoor groups of students. Dr. Ward’s work has appeared in Michigan Sociological Review, Aggression and Violent Behavior, Sex Roles, Sociology of Sport Journal, Sociological Spectrum, Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, and International Journal of Sport Communication. Dr. Ward is an avid bicyclist and runner, and participates in many 5k and 10k road races. He lives with his wife in Florence, SC.

Courses Taught: 

• SOCI 201: Principles of Sociology
• SOCI 302: Methods of Sociology
• SOCI 342: Social Deviance
• SOCI 381: Sociology of Sports
• HNRS 250: Humor in Society