Adrianna Munson

Adrianna Munson is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her work focuses on autonomy, disability studies, and the sociology of knowledge. She earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University, with prior teaching roles at Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia University. Her research explores how identities like adulthood are constructed through daily interactions, emphasizing the interplay between dependence and autonomy in social systems.

• Education: Ph.D. in Sociology (Columbia University, 2021), M.Phil. & M.A. Sociology (Columbia, 2016 & 2013), B.A. Sociology (Seattle Pacific University, 2011)

Her research investigates sociotechnical systems that mediate autonomy, particularly for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Key areas include independent living programs, disability determination processes, and the role of technology in care arrangements. Publications appear in Theory and Society, Qualitative Sociology, and Contexts.

• Awards: Merton Award (2022), NSF Grant (2018), Social Security Administration Grants (2014-2015)

Teaching specialties include social psychology, mental health sociology, and courses on race/gender/ability. She emphasizes interdisciplinary learning through podcasts, videos, and non-academic texts to foster sociological imagination.