Peter Ikeler

Peter Ikeler is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the School of Arts and Sciences, Old Westbury. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the Graduate Center, CUNY (2013), an M.A. in European Culture and Economy from Ruhr University Bochum (2009), and a B.A. in Philosophy from NYU (summa cum laude, 2007). His research focuses on labor movements, social class analysis, and political economy, with a particular interest in retail work dynamics and union strategies. Ikeler has authored over 20 peer-reviewed articles and a monograph, HARD SELL: WORK AND RESISTANCE IN RETAIL CHAINS (2016). His work bridges Marxist theory and empirical studies of contemporary labor struggles, addressing topics like precarious employment, neoliberalism’s impact on class structures, and cross-national union mobilization.

His courses include Sociology of Work, Sociological Theory, Research Methods, and Introductory Sociology. Recent publications (2020–2023) explore post-capitalist service economies, racialized mass incarceration critiques, and neoliberal film representations of class. Ikeler’s research emphasizes worker empowerment initiatives like the Retail Action Project and analyzes intersections between labor conditions and public health crises.