معرفی
Derek H. Alderman is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Geography & Sustainability, affiliated with the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences. His work bridges cultural and historical geography, focusing on public memory, race, heritage tourism, critical place naming, and the African American Freedom Struggle. Alderman’s research interrogates how marginalized communities assert spatial belonging through commemorative practices, particularly in the U.S. South.
Education & Career: Ph.D., University of Georgia (1998). Former Department Head at UT Knoxville (2012–2017). Previous roles at East Carolina University (2000–2012), Georgia College (1998–2000), and others. Served as AAG President (2017–2018) and on multiple academic committees.
Research Interests: Geographies of memory, racial justice, counter-mapping, and the politics of place naming. Key projects include the Tourism RESET Initiative (analyzing racial inequities in tourism), the I-NAME project (place naming reforms), and NSF-funded work on SNCC’s geospatial intelligence during the Civil Rights Movement.
Publications & Impact: Over 175 peer-reviewed articles, books, and essays. Recent work includes critical analyses of plantation museums, Black geographies of mobility, and federal place-naming policies. His scholarship frequently engages public audiences through media, policy consultations, and educational initiatives.
Awards & Service: Honors include AAG Fellow (2021), Zumkehr Prize (2020), and distinction for anti-racist pedagogy. Active in academic governance as Faculty Senate President at UT and on the AAG Healthy Department Committee. Collaborates with organizations like the Beck Cultural Exchange Center to advance community-driven memory work.
Grants & Initiatives: Secured NSF and NEH funding for projects on civil rights cartography, K-12 teacher training, and the role of mobility in African American history. Leads interdisciplinary teams in mapping urban renewal impacts and reconciling contested landscapes.
