Dr. Dan Lainer Vos

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Dan Lainer-Vos is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California, where he specializes in Nationalism, Diaspora Politics, and Economic Sociology. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University in 2009 and holds a B.A. in Behavioral Science from Ben Gurion University, completed in 1999. His academic work revolves around the examination of national attachments among Irish-Americans and Jewish-Americans and how diaspora groups interact during nation-building processes. His research utilizes concepts like gift-giving and market exchange to analyze how fundraising efforts shape national identities and emotional connections to homeland projects. He also investigates the challenges faced by national entrepreneurs in engaging diasporic subjects within different community settings. Lainer-Vos's publications include notable contributions to journals such as the Socio-Economic Review and Theory & Society. He is a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Theda Skocpol Dissertation Award and has presented his findings at various academic conferences. Currently, he is engaged in collaborative research on the routinization of charisma and its implications on societal structures, building on theoretical frameworks established by Max Weber.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

2009-01-01 — 2015-01-01

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Teaching and researching in the Department of Sociology.

Assistant Professor

2008-01-01 — 2009-01-01

University of Massachusetts, Amherst • Amherst, MA

Engaged in teaching and research in social sciences.

Faculty Fellow

2010-08-01 — Present

Casden Institute • Los Angeles, CA

Involved in research and mentorship within the institute.

Awards

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Theda Skocpol Dissertation Award

2009-01-01
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Viviana Zelizer Book Award

2016-01-01
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Outstanding Published Article Award

2014-01-01

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Math, or Hard Science
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Letters of Recommendation (not required for MS CS, but allowed)
Specialization Notes

GRE is NOT required for Master's applicants for 2025-2026.