October 25, 2024
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will host a special lecture by Dr. Derron
Wallace, a renowned sociologist of race, ethnicity, and education.
Dr. Wallace will present a book talk on his critically acclaimed work, “The Culture
Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth,” on Monday, Oct.
28, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Murdock Hall, Room 218. This event is part of the Commonwealth
Honors Program and Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work (SASW) Speaker Series.
It is free and open to the public.
Dr. Wallace is the Jacob S. Potofsky Chair in Sociology and Associate Professor of
Sociology and Education at Brandeis University. His book, “The Culture Trap” (Oxford
University Press, 2023), explores the complex ways in which cultural stereotypes and
expectations contribute to the educational inequalities faced by Black youth in both
national and international contexts. The book has garnered significant recognition,
including the prestigious 2024 Pierre Bourdieu Award for Best Book in Sociology of
Education and the 2024 Oliver Cromwell Cox Book Award from the American Sociological
Association for its contributions to anti-racist scholarship.
In addition to his authorship, Dr. Wallace is a distinguished scholar who has earned
multiple accolades, including Distinguished Early Career Awards from the American
Educational Research Association, the American Sociological Association, and the Comparative
and International Education Society. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge,
where he was a Marshall Scholar and a Gates Cambridge Scholar. His research, supported
by grants from the Fulbright Commission, the Spencer Foundation, and other prestigious
institutions, reflects his deep commitment to issues of youth safety, immigrant rights,
and public education.
With extensive experience as both a community organizer and a researcher, Dr. Wallace’s
work has been featured by BBC News, the Guardian, NBC News, and more.
This event is also co-sponsored by MCLA courses including Institutional Equity and
Belonging, Core Domains: First Year Seminar, Human Hertiage and Language Arts, Self
& Society, and Capstone.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered
to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
10 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2025, after earning the No. 7 spot the prior three years.
The College’s focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in
additional 2025 U.S. News rankings: No. 5 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for
liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 2 for Top Performer on Social Mobility
for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools
graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.
Learn more at www.mcla.edu.
