Anna Sorensen

[email protected], anna-sorensen.com, 518.221.4520

Education

Ph.D. in Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA; December 2015

Dissertation Title: “As Goes California, So Goes the Nation(?)” The Marriage Equality
Movement: A Study of Reactive Mobilization”
Committee: Verta Taylor (co-chair), Beth Schneider (co-chair), Nella Van Dyke (UC
Merced)

Certificate, Summer Teaching Institute for Associates, Instructional Development, UC Santa

Barbara, 2012

M.A. in Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA; June 2010

Master’s Thesis: “I Just Don’t Call Myself a Lesbian: Queering Identity Boundaries in the
21st Century.”
Committee: Beth Schneider (chair), Sarah Fenstermaker, Verta Taylor

B.A. in Sociology, California State University, Chico, CA; May 2007

Graduated with Honors in the Major; Cumulative GPA: 3.9
Honors Thesis: “Heterophobia: A New Social Phenomena?”
Adviser: Cynthia Siemsen

Additional Coursework in Women’s Studies: Introduction to Multicultural/Gender

Studies, Introduction to Women’s Studies, Feminist Theory, Women Internationally,
Women and Religion, GLBTQ Issues & Identities, Women’s Health

A.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences, Butte Community College, Oroville, CA: May 2005
Graduated with Honors

Teaching Experience

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, SUNY Potsdam, Fall 2017 – present

WAYS 103: “Talking about Diversity; When We Fight We Win!”
WAYS 103/INTD 195 (A pilot project of the Pathways General Education Program):
“Talking About Diversity; All the ‘Isms”
SOCI 101: “Introduction to Sociology”
SOCI 105: “Introduction to Social Justice”
SOCI 201: “Introduction to Social Stratification”
SOCI 300: “Sociological Theory”
SOCI 350: “Social Movements”
SOCI 365: “Sociology of Gender”
SOCI 366: “Sociology of Sexualities”
INTD 395: “Sexualities: Sociological and Literary Perspectives” (Team-Taught, a pilot
project of the Pathways General Education program)
SOCI 420: “Rich & Poor in America”
SOCI 475: “Senior Seminar”
Lecturer, Department of Sociology, SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2014 -present
SOCI 101: “Introduction to Sociology”
SOCI 102: “Social Problems”
SOCI 150/WMST 100: “Introduction to Women’s & Gender Studies”
SOCI 300: “Sociological Theory”
SOCI 309: “Sociology of Culture”
SOCI 365: “Sociology of Gender”
SOCI 366: “Sociology of Sexualities”
SOCI 420: “Rich and Poor in America”
SOCI 465: “Sociology of Health & Illness”
FY 100: “First Year Success Seminar”

Adjunct, Department of Social Sciences, SUNY Canton, Spring 2014 – Fall 2014

Teaching Associate (Instructor of Record), Department of Sociology, UC Santa Barbara, Spring

2009 – Summer 2013

Teaching Assistant, Department of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Spring

2008 – Spring 2013

Undergraduate Teaching Apprentice, Department of Sociology, California State University,

Chico, Fall 2006 – Spring 2007

Publications

Diamond-Brown, Lauren, Leandra Smollin and Anna Sorensen. 2020. Discussion Guide for film:
“Dodging Bullets: Stories from Survivors of Historical Trauma.” Directed by S. Broere, S.
Edstrom, and B. Trench. Fahrenheit Films: 2015.

Sorensen, Anna, 2018. “Finding feminism: millennial activists and the unfinished gender
revolution.” (Book Review of Allison Crossley’s Finding feminism: millennial activists and
the unfinished gender revolution.) Feminist Media Studies. 18(1):152-154.

Sorensen, Anna. 2016. “Lesbian Stereotypes.” In The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender

and Sexuality Studies. Eds. Nancy Naples, Renee C. Hoogland. Maithree
Wickramasinghe, and Angela Wong. Wiley-Blackwell.

Hopkins, Jason, Anna Sorensen, and Verta Taylor. 2013. “Same-Sex Couples, Families, and
Marrriage: Embracing and Resisting Heteronormativity." Sociology Compass. 7(2): 97-
110.

Sorensen, Anna and Cynthia Siemsen. 2006. “Identity Radicalization, Fragmentation and Re-
assimilation: An Analysis of the GLBTQ Movement.” Californian Journal of Health
Improvement. 4(4).

Presentations

“Online & Digital Activism.” Invited Presenter. Fall 2020 Student Leader Conference. SUNY
Potsdam; August 26, 2020. (Virtual Conference)
“Sociology Is Transferable: Managing Campaigns and Candidates in New York State’s North
Country.” Panel Presenter. Southern Sociological Society’s Annual Meeting.
Jacksonville, FL; April 29, 2020. (Conference Canceled due to COVID-19)

“Rural Youths’ Political Engagement: Socialization, Goals, Identities and Participation.” Panel
Presenter. Eastern Sociological Society’s Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA; February
29, 2020.

“Intersectionality & Resiliency: How to Build Confidence and Overcome Challenges.” Invited
Panelist. Summit Leadership Program. Women, Gender, and Leadership; SUNY
Potsdam; September 19, 2019

“Creating an Inclusive and Welcoming Group.” Invited Presenter. Emerging Leaders Club.
SUNY Potsdam; September 10, 2019.

“Creating an Inclusive and Welcoming Group.” Invited Presenter. Fall 2019 Student Leader
Conference. SUNY Potsdam; August 22, 2019

“The ‘Right to Love:’ Connecting ‘Gay’ and ‘Marriage’ through Identity Deployment Tactics.”
Roundtable Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological
Association; Montreal, CA; August 12, 2017

Roundtable Presider. Section on Sociology of Sexualities Refereed Roundtables. at the Annual

Meeting of the American Sociological Association; Montreal, CA; August 15, 2017

“Movement-countermovement and Intra-movement Contexts: The Organizational Dynamics of

California’s Marriage Equality Movement.“ Panel Presentation at the Annual Meeting of
the American Sociological Association; Seattle, WA; August 19-23, 2016.

“Constructing A New Collective Action Frame: California Marriage Equality Activists Proclaim
the ‘Right to Love’” Panel Presentation at the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence
Valley’s Out(In)sider Intersections, Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Conference; Canton, NY;
April 1-2, 2016.

“America's Marriage Equality Movement." Invited Lecture. 2014 FYSS Civic Engagement
Experience Series. SUNY Potsdam, October 9, 2014.

“The Same-Sex Marriage Movement: Assimilationist and Radical?” Invited Lecture, Soc 159LG,
“Gay and Lesbian Communities,” Instructor Katelynn Bishop, UC Santa Barbara,
September 8, 2013

“Facilitating Active Learning, How to Get 40-60 Students to Buy-In,” Workshop Presentation,
Summer Teaching Institute for Associates, Instructional Development, UC Santa
Barbara, June 5, 2013.

“Same-Sex Marriage,” Invited Lecture, Soc 154A, “Sociology of the Family,” Instructor Alicia
Cast, UC Santa Barbara, March 12, 2013
“Prop. 8 and DOMA: How did we get here and what can we expect?” Invited Lecture, Soc
159LG, “Gay and Lesbian Communities,” Instructor Elizabeth Rahilly, UC Santa
Barbara, March 7, 2013

“Reclaiming the Ballot Box: The Structural and Cultural Motivations for the LGBT Movement’s
Use of the Initiative Process to Achieve Rights” Roundtable Presentation at American
Sociological Association Annual Meeting; with Amy Stone, Denver, Colorado; August 19,
2012

“Heterosexism and Gay Marriage,” Invited Lecture, Soc 145, “Social Inequalities,” Instructor
Elena Skapoulli, UC Santa Barbara, May 29, 2012

“I Just Don’t Call Myself a Lesbian. Queering the Boundaries or Reproducing the
Heteronormative?” Paper Presentation at New Sexualities Research Group’s Graduate
Student Colloquium, Santa Barbara, CA; April 12, 2010

Local Activists Modify Mainstream Tactics: The Campaign to Fail Proposition 8 in Santa Barbara
County” Paper Presentation at Pacific Sociological Association Annual Mtg., Oakland,
CA; April 8-11, 2010.

“’Real’ Women in the Academy” Session Presider and Participant at Pacific Sociological
Association Annual Mtg., Oakland, CA; April 8-11, 2010.

“Something is (Still) Going on with Motherhood” Paper Presentation at Pacific Sociological

Association Annual Mtg., San Diego, CA; April 11-12, 2009.

“Sociology of Sexualities” Presider, paper session, at Pacific Sociological Association Annual

Mtg., San Diego, CA; April 11-12, 2009.

“Queers in Straight (?) Relationships” Co-Presenter at 2009 19th Annual LGBTQIIA Western
Regional Conference, UC Santa Barbara, February 13-15, 2009.

“Identity Radicalization, Fragmentation and Re-assimilation: An Analysis of GLBTQ Movement”

Paper Presentation at Pacific Sociological Association Annual Mtg., Oakland, CA, April
1, 2007.

“Heterophobia, A New Social Phenomenon?” Paper Presentation at CSU College of Behavioral

and Social Science Symposium, CSU Chico, April 26, 2007.

Honors, Awards, Recognitions, Fellowships and Grants

(award amounts prior to 2012 available upon request)

● “Favorite Professor of Sociology” awarded by SUNY Potsdam Emerging Leaders, 2016,

2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
● President's Award for Excellence in Fostering a Welcoming and Inclusive Classroom
Environment awarded by SUNY Potsdam President Esterberg, 2018
● Recipient, Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship, $15,000, Sociologists for the Study of
Women in Society (SWS), 2013-2014
● Recipient, Flacks Fund for the Study of Democratic Possibilities, $1350, UC Santa Barbara,
2013-2014
● Recipient, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Grant, $1977, UC Santa Barbara,
2012-2013
● Recipient, Sociology Department Research Grant, $500, UC Santa Barbara, 2012-2013
● Nominee, UCSB GSA Excellence in Teaching Award, 2012-2013
● Recipient, Graduate Division Central Fellowship, UC Santa Barbara, 2011-2012
● Recipient, Department Fee Fellowship, UC Santa Barbara, 2007-2010
● Recipient, Graduate Division Central Fellowship, UC Santa Barbara, 2007-2008
● Recipient, Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, Internship with Drs. Mary Bernstein and
Nancy Naples, Summer 2007
● Recipient, William R. Hearst/ CSU Trustees Award for 2006-2007
● Selected, 2006-2007 Dr. Ali Razi Scholar
● Recipient, Dr. Barbara Holland Peevers Memorial Scholarship, May 2006
● Recipient, Lt. Rawlins Merit Award for 2006-2007
● Recipient, Sally Casanova CA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship 2006 -2007
● Inductee, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, May 2006
● Inductee, Phi Theta Kappa Golden Key Honor Society, May 2005
● Recipient, Cal-Grant, 2005 – 2006

Professional Activities and Service

● Participant. Advanced Dialogue Facilitation. SOLIYA. June 2020.

● Participant. Online Pedagogy and Technology Trainings, 50 hours, Summer 2020
● Elected Member, Arts & Sciences Council
● Member, Faculty Working Group, WAYS 301, SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2019
● Elected, Social World (SW) Designator, Pathways Program Curriculum Committee, Fall
2019 - Present
● Coordinator, Social Justice Minor
● Invited Panel Participant, “The Push Factors Toward Incarceration: Exploring the
Intersection of Poverty, Unemployment, Race, Housing, Education, and Family Instability
with Incarceration,” Justice for All:Community Conversations on Crime and Imprisonment in
the North Country, Social Justice Initiative Biennial Conference, Unitarian Universalist
Church of Canton, October 18-20, 2019
● Attendee, “Teaching GenZ’s;” The Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley’s 2016
Teaching Effectiveness Conference, SUNY Potsdam, November 16, 2019
● Member, Pilot Faculty Working Group, WAYS 103, SUNY Potsdam, Fall 2019
● Member of Graduate Advisory Group
● Appointed, Advising Task Force, SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2019 - Present
● Represented the Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies Department at “A Major Affair,” Fall
2019
● Represented the Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies Department at “Open House,” Fall
2019
● Advisor, Summer Orientation, SUNY Potsdam, Summer 2019
● Attendee, “Rhetoric 101” Workshop on Teaching Public Speaking; Presenter:
Allie Rowland; SUNY Potsdam; May 17, 2019
● Social Media Manager, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies, SUNY
Potsdam, Spring 2018 - Present
● Elected, Chair, Membership & Communications Sub-Committee, Diversity and Inclusion
Action Coalition, SUNY Potsdam, Fall 2017- Present
● Attendee, Annual Meeting of Sociologists for Women in Society, NYC, NY; August
11-13, 2019
● Attendee, Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley’s Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
Conference; SUNY Canton, Canton, NY; April 4, 2019.
● Sociology Club Faculty Advisor, SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2017 – Spring 2018
● Elected, Faculty Senate Delegate At-Large, SUNY Potsdam, Fall 2016-2018
● Appointed, Member, Bias Response Team, SUNY Potsdam, Fall 2017 (on leave for Spring
and Fall 2018)
● Appointed, Membership & Communications Sub-Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Action
Coalition, SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2016- Spring 2018
● Attendee, “Train the Trainers,” Prejudice Reduction Workshop presented by the National
Coalition Building Institute, SUNY Potsdam, May 16-18, 2017
● Consultant, TLQP, SUNY Potsdam, Summer 2015, Spring and Summer 2017
● Served on the Activist-Scholar Award Cmte. for the Sex and Gender Section of the
American Sociological Association, Spring 2017
● Taught a “Mock Class” for Participants in Multi-Cultural Weekend, Spring 2017.
● Attended DIAC Retreat and multiple workshops (in addition to bi-weekly meetings), 2016-
2017
● Presented Focus Group results with members of POP/DIAC (to SOEPS, Arts & Sciences
Council, Libraries), Fall 2016-Spring 2017
● Participated in 2 presentations for the Days of Reflection, SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2017.
● Appointed, Member of Bias Response Team, Fall 2016 – Fall 2018 (on leave Spring 2018)
● Faculty Advisor, 5 groups of students presenting posters at the Learning and Research Fair,
SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2017
● Represented the Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies Department at “A Major Affair,” Fall
2018
● Represented Women’s and Gender Studies Program at “A Major Affair,” Fall 2017
● Reviewer for Sociological Forum, Mobilization, Nature Human Behavior, and WWNorton.
Fall 2016-Spring 2017.
● Attendee, Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley’s Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
Conference; SUNY Potsdam, NY; February 9, 2017
● Attendee, The Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley’s 2016 Teaching
Effectiveness Conference, Clarkson University, November 12, 2016
● Attendee, Annual Meeting, Associated Colleges Conference on Teaching and Learning, St.
Lawrence University, Canton, NY, November 1, 2014
● Roundtable Co-organizer, Sex and Gender Section, American Sociological Association,
2013
● Paper Session Co-organizer, “At the Intersections: Activist and Organizational Identities in
Social Movements, Pacific Sociological Association, 2012
● Session Presider, Embodiment/Sociology of Body Roundtable, at American Sociological
Association Annual Mtg.; Atlanta, GA; August 15, 2010
● Roundtable Co-organizer, Sexualities Section, American Sociological Association, 2010
● Graduate student representative to the Sex and Gender Section, American Sociological
Association, 2010-2012
● Chair, Committee on the Status of Women, Pacific Sociological Association, 2012-2013
● Member of Committee on the Status of Women, Pacific Sociological Association, 2011-
present
● TA Training Committee Member/Lead TA, Sociology Department, UC Santa Barbara, 2010-
2012
● Graduate student representative to and Chair of Transportation Alternatives Board, UC
Santa Barbara, 2009-2010
● Graduate student departmental representative to Graduate Student Association, 2008-2009

Community Involvement

● Elected, Village Trustee, Canton Village Board of Trustees, Canton, NY, 2019 - Present
[Term 2019-2023]
● President, Board of Directors, The Yoga Loft, Canton, NY 2019 - Present
● Campaign Advisor, Tedra Cobb for Congress, 2019 - Present
● Campaign Manager, Tedra Cobb for Congress, 2018
● Volunteer, Tedra Cobb for Congress, 2017-2018
● Trustee, Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton, 2018 – 2019
● Vice President, Board of Directors, The Yoga Loft, Canton NY 2018 - 2019
● Member, Board of Directors, The Yoga Loft, Canton, NY 2017- 2018
● Co-Coordinator, St. Lawrence Valley Sub-Chapter, North Country Chapter of Showing Up
for Racial Justice, 2017
● Religious Education Committee Member, Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton, 2016-
201y
● Grant-Making Committee Member, The Fund for Santa Barbara, 2012- 2013
● Co-Founder, Executive Committee Member, Santa Barbara Equality Project (formerly
Strategic Alliance for Marriage Equality) Santa Barbara, 2009-2012
● Chapter Leader, Marriage Equality USA, Santa Barbara County, 2009 – 2011
● Chair, Social Justice Committee, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church, Goleta, 2008-
2011
● Parliamentarian, Goleta Valley Junior High, Goleta, 2008 – 2011
● Member, Sociological Association of CSU Chico, 2006-2007
● Co-Chair, Social Action Committee, Chico Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2006-2007
● Field Leader, Equality California, 2005-2007
● Participant, CSU Chico Women’s Center Sponsored Activities

Professional and Organizational Memberships

● Eastern Sociological Society (2020)

● Southern Sociological Society (2020)
● Sociologists for Women in Society (2014 - present)
● American Sociological Association (2014-2017)
o Teaching Sociology Section
o Sex and Gender Section
o Sexualities Section
o Collective Behavior/Social Movements Section
● Society for the Study of Social Problems (2013-2016)
● Pacific Sociological Association (2006-2013)