Hayward Derrick Horton

Hayward Derrick Horton is a Professor at the University at Albany, SUNY, with joint appointments in the Department of Sociology (College of Arts and Sciences) and the College of Integrated Health Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University (1985), an M.A. in Sociology from the same institution (1981), and a B.A. in Sociology from Norfolk State University (1978). His professional trajectory includes positions at Iowa State University and the University of Central Arkansas before joining UAlbany in 1995.

Horton's research centers on Critical Demography, a paradigm examining how social structures perpetuate inequality among racial and subordinate groups. Key interests include racism, health disparities, economic development, and the sociology of place. His work integrates structural analysis with demographic methods to challenge conventional narratives about race and power.

Recent publications focus on racial disparities during crises (e.g., COVID-19, Hurricane Katrina), wealth inequality, housing discrimination, and entrepreneurship barriers. Articles consistently analyze structural racism through intersectional lenses, blending quantitative demography with critical theory across health, economics, and urban studies.

Awards and Honors:

• Lifetime Membership Award, Sociological Honor Society of Norfolk State University (2018)
• SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Academic Service (2005-2006) and Teaching (2001)
• Alpha Kappa Delta Emory Bogardus Teaching Award (1992)
• Leadership awards from the Association of Black Sociologists (1995) and Black Community Developers (1989)