M. Faye Hanson-Evans

M. Faye Hanson-Evans is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at The University of Texas at Arlington, with additional teaching appointments in Women's and Gender Studies, Diversity Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Honors College since 2013.

Her educational background includes:

• MA in Sociology from The University of Texas at Arlington (2013)
• BA in Sociology with Political Science minor from The University of Texas at Arlington Honors College (2011)

Her research centers on the sociology of poverty and political sociology, specifically examining racial and ethnic perceptions of poverty through embedded experimental methodologies. She investigates how Asians, Blacks, Latinos, and Whites attribute poverty to racism, classism, or lack of effort, with particular focus on stratification beliefs across demographic groups. Her teaching portfolio spans criminology, sociology of gender, marital and sexual lifestyles, social problems, and introductory sociology/popular culture courses.

Her scholarly work consistently explores the intersection of race, class, and poverty perceptions, revealing complex patterns in how different demographic groups interpret socioeconomic disadvantage. This research forms a cohesive body examining systemic barriers and belief systems around poverty.

She has received significant recognition for her teaching excellence:

• College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Teacher in Distance Education (2017)
• IDEAS Faculty Teaching Fellow (2018-2019)
• MAFE Faculty Fellow (2023-2024)

As an adjunct faculty member, she teaches 400-700 students across 4-6 courses per semester without teaching assistants, while advocating for equitable pedagogy through Open Educational Resources and student-centered learning. Her teaching philosophy is deeply informed by her lived experience as a first-generation, non-traditional, low-income student and single parent, driving her commitment to dismantling systemic barriers in higher education despite the precarious nature of adjunct employment.