Robert J. Durán

Robert J. Durán is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University since 2018, previously holding tenured positions at New Mexico State University (2006–2014) and the University of Tennessee (2014–2018). He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado Boulder (2006). His research focuses on criminology, race, and social control, particularly examining gangs, police shootings, juvenile justice disparities, and neighborhood segregation shaped by racial inequalities. Durán employs urban ethnography and participatory action research to empower marginalized communities through policy reform.

• Education: Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Colorado Boulder (2006)
• Key Research Areas: Police brutality, gang dynamics, racialized social control, Latina/o/x criminology
• Notable Books: The Gang Paradox: Inequality and Miracles on the U.S.-Mexico Border (2018), Justice Required: Police Shootings as Legalized Violence (2025, forthcoming)

His awards include the prestigious Coramae Richey Mann Award (2019) for scholarship on race and justice, and multiple teaching awards recognizing his dedication to student mentorship. Durán's work bridges academia and activism, emphasizing community oversight of policing and grassroots empowerment strategies.

He has published extensively in top journals like Sociology Compass, Du Bois Review, and Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, with a focus on racial disparities in criminal justice systems and settler colonialism's impact on Latina/o/x communities.