David Showalter

David Showalter is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Harvard University, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. They hold a PhD in Sociology from UC Berkeley (2022), preceded by an MA from UC Berkeley (2015) and a BA in Tutorial Studies from the University of Chicago (2012). Their research employs ethnographic methods to examine intersections of place, social networks, and organizations with health outcomes, criminalization, and marginality, particularly regarding drug use and policy. Current research focuses on opioid use and services in California's remote regions.

Key research themes include harm reduction policies, jail reentry programs, and the sociological implications of drug-related stigma. Their work bridges criminology, public health, and urban sociology. Recent publications appear in Social Science & Medicine, Theory & Society, and International Journal of Drug Policy.

Outside academia, Showalter is a harm reductionist and former Board President of NEED (Berkeley, CA). Their academic contributions include advancing theories of place effects on substance use and critiquing penal psychopathy frameworks. Grants and collaborations involve interdisciplinary health policy research.