Joshua Silver

Joshua Silver is a PhD Candidate in Sociology at the University of Chicago, a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Sociology at Rice University. His research focuses on energy industry transitions in Houston/Gulf Coast, environmental sociology, and the intersection of social theory with contemporary issues. He serves as book review editor for the American Journal of Sociology and is completing a documentary film, Laurentian, exploring Great Lakes fisheries ecosystems.

Education:

• B.A. in International Relations, University of Chicago
• M.A. in Social Sciences, University of Chicago
• M.A. in Sociology, University of Chicago

Research Interests: Silver’s work bridges environmental sociology with historical and comparative frameworks. He studies how industries adapt to ecological shifts, the sociology of knowledge in anticolonial contexts, and urban/occupational structures. His documentary project employs visual ethnography to document communities shaped by environmental change.

Publications: Recent works include analyses of Radhakamal Mukerjee’s ecological sociology, editorial practices in academic publishing, and empirical studies of financial crisis responses like the PPP program.