Rob Eschmann

Rob Eschmann is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. He is part of Columbia’s inaugural Race and Racism Scholarship cluster hire, focusing on dismantling white supremacy through research and education. His work bridges digital and physical spaces, examining how online communication shapes racial discourse, microaggressions, and resistance strategies.

Eschmann’s research explores the intersection of technology and race, including the impact of social media on racial microaggressions, digital resistance tactics, and the role of virtual reality in antiracist education. He recently completed a book titled When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Era, analyzing evolving expressions of racism and structural resistance mechanisms.

He teaches Foundations of Social Work Practice, emphasizing antiracist frameworks in professional contexts. His interdisciplinary approach involves collaborations across departments, leveraging computational tools like DMI-TCAT and Gephi for social media analysis. Eschmann views New York City as a dynamic space for research and community engagement, inspired by its historical and cultural layers explored in N.K. Jemisin’s speculative fiction.

Key areas of exploration include: antiracist efficacy measurement, prison abolition discourse through Twitter, and transnational communication patterns among immigrant youth. He actively develops VR tools to train individuals in real-time responses to racism.