معرفی
Carissa Froyum serves as Interim Head of the Department of Social Work and Professor of Sociology at the University of Northern Iowa's College of Social & Behavioral Sciences. Her dual appointment bridges social work administration and sociological scholarship, with recognition including the 2019 CSBS Faculty Service Award and multiple teaching honors such as the 2016 United Faculty Emerging Leader Award and 2011 University Book and Supply Outstanding Teaching Award.
Her academic foundation includes a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University (2007). This training underpins her methodological rigor in qualitative research and theoretical contributions to understanding social structures.
Froyum's research program critically examines how emotions function as capital in reproducing social inequalities, particularly at the intersections of race, gender, and class. She investigates emotional labor among professionals of color, the socialization of low-income Black girls, and volunteerism dynamics, consistently employing microsociological perspectives. Her work reveals how marginalized groups navigate and resist structural constraints through identity work and community engagement, with strong implications for social justice interventions.
Analysis of her 2010-2019 publications shows persistent focus on embodied inequality mechanisms, evolving from foundational work on Black girls' emotional socialization to contemporary explorations of volunteer sympathy and street-level gender projects. Key thematic threads include racialized emotional labor, intersectional identity formation, and methodological innovations for studying children's perspectives on inequality.
Her significant scholarly impact is reflected in these awards:
- Faculty Service Award, CSBS 2019
- United Faculty Emerging Leader Award, 2016
- Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Liberal Arts Core, 2016
- University Book and Supply Outstanding Teaching Award recipient, 2011
- College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award for Untenured Faculty, 2011-2
Through editorial leadership of the Handbook on the Sociology of Gender (2018) and multiple editions of Inside Social Life, Froyum has shaped sociological curricula and mentored emerging scholars. Her teaching portfolio innovations, particularly in race-conscious pedagogy, demonstrate commitment to translating research into educational practice. While specific grant details aren't provided, her methodological contributions to interviewing children about inequality suggest externally funded research initiatives.
As Interim Head of Social Work, she provides administrative leadership bridging academic sociology and professional social work training, though the materials don't specify dedicated research labs or teams. Her ongoing editorial projects and administrative role indicate continued scholarly engagement with contemporary inequality frameworks.
