Philip Smith

Philip Smith is Professor of Sociology at Yale University, specializing in cultural sociology, political sociology, and social theory. His research examines cultural systems, social control, and public behaviors, with recent work addressing climate change narratives and class representation. He has published over 60 articles and 12 books, including Durkheim and After (2020) and Climate Change as Social Drama (2015).

His research explores how cultural frameworks shape responses to societal threats like terrorism and environmental crises. Publications analyze symbolic action in pandemics, the evolution of Durkheimian thought, and the sociology of artistic consecration. Recent articles investigate heatwave discourses, time travel in popular culture, and class dynamics in historical European contexts.

Smith teaches courses on social control, cultural sociology, and public space at undergraduate and graduate levels.