Daniel Hirschman
Assistant Professor, Sociology
Academic focus:
Economic sociology; organizational sociology; race and racism; science, technology, and society. Past empirical projects include work on the politics of affirmative action in college admissions, financial regulation and financial innovation, and the history of economic statistics.
Current research project:
I'm starting a new research project on "the costs of climate change." This project has two core questions: How much will climate change cost? And how will we know? I'm interested in the work that academics and industry experts do to model and predict the damage done by climate change and the costs of switching off of fossil fuels, and how those predictions inform policy debates and public understanding of the climate crisis.
Previous positions:
- Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Brown University, 2016-2022
Academic background:
- Ph.D., Sociology, University of Michigan, 2016
- M.A., Sociology, University of Michigan, 2010
- B.S., Pure Mathematics, Spanish Language and Literature, and Latin American and Caribbean Studies, University of Michigan, 2006
Last book read:
“Reconsidering Reparations” by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò and “A Prayer for the Crown-Shy” by Becky Chambers
In your own time/when not working:
Aikido, yoga, reading science fiction and fantasy, playing board games, and parenting. I'm also looking forward to hiking on all the amazing trails around Ithaca.
Courses you’re most looking forward to teaching:
I'm excited to teach courses on social theory (including one of the few required courses for the sociology Ph.D. program), as well as courses on race and racism and on the sociology of the climate crisis.
What most excites you about Cornell:
Beyond the amazing sociology community, I'm especially excited about the strong interdisciplinary community, including the diverse scholars studying organizations (all across the campus, including ILR and the Johnson school) and science studies (organized around the Science & Technology Studies department).
Twitter: @asociologist
