Thaddeus Atzmon

Thaddeus Atzmon,
Thaddeus AtzmonResearch Coordinator

Email: thaddeus.atzmon@uni.edu
CV

Education:
ABD., Sociology, Texas A&M University, (Ph.D. expected in 2022)
M.A., Sociology, Texas State University, 2015

Research Interests: Sociology of education,  systemic inequalities in education, Identities, Challenging narrow definitions of  the term “literacy”

As a JCCL research coordinator, Atzmon’s goal is to challenge narrow definitions of the term “literacy” and highlight important new literacy research for JCCL.  Thaddeus Atzmon has always been interested in understanding and dismantling systems of oppression. This interest stems from his many conversations with his grandmother, Sara Atzmon, a survivor of the Shoah (Atzmon prefers this term rather than “the holocaust” to acknolwedge the numerous “holocaust” atrocities committed in several historical contexts to several groups). Choosing to study ascribed racial identities and systemic racism at Texas State University, Atzmon is now finishing his Ph.D. in sociology at Texas A&M University, and focusing on systemic inequalities in education and ascribed identities linked to race, class, and gender.

Atzmon’s research is specifically concerned with on how racial identities are ascribed to Jewish Americans by self-identified white Americans, and how self-identified white Americans interpret instances of overt white nationalism. In doing this research he has found that many white Americans continue to hold a racialized view of Jewish Americans--including narratives of biologically distinct Jews that are foundational in white supremacist ideology and continue to surface in conversations with everyday whites today.  His study also uncovers the ways many white respondents rationalize instances of overt white supremacy in the United States. He also developed an interest in systemic inequalities in education and has two forthcoming publications in the area.

Born in Hondo, TX, Atzmon spent much of his childhood moving from place to place (San Antonio, Miami, Vancouver) for his parent’s work.  Although he didn’t like it at the time, he recognizes now that the constant moving and resituating made him a better community based-researcher: it is very easy for Atzmon to start conversations and working relationships with new people.