David Knight

David Knight is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Columbia University. He specializes in the social, political, and health effects of incarceration, focusing on how bottom-up movements seek to dismantle carceral systems. His research includes a book project examining political life among those with lived experiences of imprisonment and collaborative work on post-George Floyd initiatives aimed at creating community-focused alternatives to police-centric approaches. Knight holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and previously taught in San Francisco and Boston, with a background in special education and educational justice advocacy.

• Education:
• Bachelor's in History from Dartmouth College, specializing in Black freedom movements
• PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago
• Research Interests:
• Political mobilization among incarcerated populations
• Community-driven alternatives to policing
• Racial equity and systemic reform
• Collaborations:
• Multi-city study of institutions displacing police-centric approaches

His work integrates interdisciplinary perspectives, emphasizing cross-disciplinary collaboration at Columbia to address systemic inequality and foster racially equitable solutions.