Dr. Demarcus Jenkins

Biography

DeMarcus Jenkins is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. His research focuses on policy and practice issues affecting Black vulnerable populations in education, housing, and criminal/juvenile justice. He examines the interconnectedness of education and criminal justice, the impact of housing policies on urban development, and the politics of policy change for marginalized groups. Jenkins investigates the intersection of race, urban space, and educational equity within the policy process. His interdisciplinary scholarship incorporates critical race theories, spatial theory, Black geographies, and urban sociology, and has been funded by organizations such as the Spencer Foundation and the William T. Grant Foundation. Prior to his role at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenkins held faculty positions at Penn State University and the University of Arizona, where he was a founding faculty member of the Education Policy Center. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Urban Schooling from the University of California, Los Angeles, an Ed.M. from Georgia State University, and a Master’s degree from American University, along with a Bachelor’s degree in English and Afro-American Studies from the University of Michigan.

Research Interests

Experience