Adam Goldstein

Adam Goldstein is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University, jointly affiliated with the Department of Sociology and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. He serves as Director of Graduate Studies and holds the Ralph O. Glendinning University Preceptorship. His research focuses on economic sociology, organizations, and social stratification, particularly examining how financial capitalism impacts households, institutions, and inequality. Goldstein earned his PhD in Sociology from UC Berkeley and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard’s Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Education:
  • PhD in Sociology, University of California, Berkeley
  • Robert Wood Johnson Post-Doctoral Scholar in Health Policy Research, Harvard University

Goldstein’s research explores themes such as administrative burdens in student loan repayment, cycles of financial speculation, and the socio-economic consequences of financialization. He has received recognition including the American Sociological Association’s Mark Granovetter Award (honorable mention). His work frequently intersects with policy, addressing issues like healthcare access, education financing, and climate governance through institutional analysis.

Key contributions include studies on positional competition in housing markets, the role of pension funds in labor advocacy, and the impact of quasi-governmental organizations on climate adaptation. Goldstein’s interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology with policy analysis, emphasizing empirical rigor and societal relevance.