Dr. Richard Pitt

Biography

Richard Pitt’s research primarily contributes to the sub-disciplines of sociology, religion, and higher education. His work tends to focus on social identity, occupations, gender, and sexuality. With a sociological and social psychological training, his methodological toolkit includes qualitative content analysis, interviews, focus groups, and quantitative analysis through large surveys and pre-existing datasets. Professor Pitt’s research and teaching are rooted in the department’s substantive areas of social inequalities and communication culture. His research has been published in notable journals including Sociological Quarterly, Sociological Perspectives, Social Currents, and more. He is the author of books such as 'Divine Callings: Understanding Call Ministry Black Pentecostalism' and 'Church Planters: World Religion Entrepreneurship.' Currently, his research examines the career decisions of young people who follow spouses in STEMM training regimes like doctoral programs and medical residencies, particularly looking at how projectivity and uncertainty manifest in the dynamics of planned career trajectories for trailing spouses. An award-winning teacher, Professor Pitt instructs undergraduate courses in higher education, family, race and ethnicity, and social psychology, as well as graduate courses in education and social psychology.

Research Interests