Hana Shepherd

Hana Shepherd is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, affiliated with the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS). Her research focuses on organizational practices, social networks, and cultural dynamics, particularly in contexts of inequality and social change. She examines how policies, norms, and networks shape labor standards enforcement, workplace relationships, and individual/group behavior.

Shepherd’s work includes a forthcoming book with Janice Fine analyzing the enforcement of minimum wage and paid sick leave laws in cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. Her research methods span network analysis, field experiments, and archival studies, addressing topics such as labor rights, social norms, and policy implementation. She is funded by organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Russell Sage Foundation.

Her research interests span organizational sociology, sociology of work, social networks, and cognitive psychology. She teaches courses on organizational behavior and cultural change. Notable projects include studies on low-wage worker networks, school anti-bullying policies, and digital tools for health interventions in retail sectors.

Her grants support projects on labor standards enforcement, workplace inequality, and the role of social networks in mobilizing worker power. She collaborates with the Workplace Justice Lab to investigate disparities in labor law enforcement and equitable policy design.