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School of Social Sciences & Education

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Gooding Building
2800 University Blvd N
Jacksonville, FL 32211

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Mon – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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Downs-Heather

Dr. Heather Downs

Associate Professor Sociology

Sociology

Email address  hdowns@messianicfamilyfellowship.com
Telephone number  (904) 256-7141
Office location  Gooding Building 231

Education

  • Ph.D., Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • M.A., Communication, University of Ilinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • B.A., Communication, with a minor in Women's Studies, Loyola University-Chicago, magna cum laude
  • Language and culture study, Loyola University Rome Center, Rome, Italy

​Fields Of Study

  • Gender, race/ethnicity
  • Family
  • Inequality and social class
  • Consumerism
  • Popular culture

​Courses Taught

  • Introductory Sociology (SOC 203)
  • Social Problems (SOC 304)
  • Minority Relations (SOC 325)
  • Sociology of the Family (SOC 350)
  • Sociology of Men and Women (SOC 365)
  • Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll (SOC 400)
  • Careers in Sociology (SOC 400)
  • Sociology of Disney (SOC 400)
  • Sociology of College (SOC 400)
  • Sociology of Latin America (Costa Rica) (SOC 400)
  • Sociological Theory (SOC 450)

​Selected Publications, Awards, and Service

  • Excellence in Service to Students Award
  • Excellence Award in Teaching
  • Professor of the Month
  • Ally of the Year
  • Dissertation: "Crafting Culture: Scrapbooking and the Lives of Women"
  • Outstanding Club Advisor Award
  • Tim Shakespeare Staff Award
  • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship
  • Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology Honor Society)
  • Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
  • Lambda Pi Eta (Communication Honor Society)
  • Served on the committee for the Jacksonville Community Council Incorporated's Race Relations Progress Report.
  • Downs, Heather. 2008. "Race-Blind Policies," Encyclopedia of Social Problems. Edited by V. Parrillo. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Stevens, Gillian and Heather Downs. 2006. "Diversity," Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology. Edited by G. Ritzer. Cambridge: Blackwell.