Dr. DaShanne Stokes (pronounced Duh-Shane) is a Research Associate at the University of Pittsburgh and a sociologist specializing in power, politics, social inequality, and criminology.
Dr. Stokes's research focuses on how power dynamics and inequalities are contested and reproduced, with specific expertise in the intersections of race, gender, sexualities, crime, and political sociology. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh and has held academic appointments at the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dr. Stokes is an experienced educator with six years of university teaching experience across various modalities (in-person, online, hybrid), ranging from large introductory courses to honors seminars. His pedagogy is grounded in evidence-based best practices and his original "Empowerment Approach," which enables students to learn about their positionalities, build communal and interpersonal relationships, and apply theory to real-world problems and develop critical problem-solving skills in uplifting ways. Dr. Stokes's expertise and committment to inclusive pedagogy is illustrated by his analyses of diversity issues featured in HuffPost, Diverse, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His teaching excellence and commitment to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is evidenced by strong positive course evaluations and peer-reviewed publications of his pedagogical materials by the American Sociological Association.
Dr. Stokes is an active contributor to the discipline, frequently presenting his original findings at premier national venues, including the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association (ASA) and the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP). His research—which has appeared in peer-reviewed journals such as the International Review of Sociology and the American Indian Culture and Research Journal—utilizes rigorous comparative, qualitative, and quantitative methods. Stokes has also contributed peer-reviewed book chapters and peer-reviewed encyclopedia entries to Social Problems in the Age of COVID-19, edited by G. Muschert, K. Budd, M. Christian, D. Lane, and J. Smith (Policy Press 2019) and the forthcoming Sage Encyclopedia of Crime and Gender, edited by J. Stamatel (2026). A unifying theme across his work is his investigation into the ways in which power is socially constructed, deployed and resisted, intersects across identities and domains, and often remains misrecognized and hidden.
Beyond the academy, Dr. Stokes serves as a public sociologist, translating his scholarly expertise and research on institutional power for global audiences. This public scholarship has led to invited addresses at institutions like Emmanuel College as well as commentary for international outlets like the BBC, NPR, and Sky News. Dr. Stokes also lends his sociological insight as an expert featured in the forthcoming documentary, "Charisma: The Will to Power," by Palawan Productions.
Bookings
For media inquiries, please contact media (at) dashannestokes (dot) com.
For speaking inquiries, please contact speaking (at) dashannestokes (dot) com.
