Present
Dr. Heidi Swarts
Tuesday,April22,2014at5:00PM
HardyLibrary,KravisCenter437
(DINNERWILLBEPROVIDED)
Dr.HeidiSwartswillbediscussingthechallengesinvolvedin
researchingsocialphenomenononthelocallevel,andhowshefound
usefulinsightsfrombothsociologyandpoliticalscience.
Dr.HeidiSwartsreceivedherB.A.fromOberlinCollege,aMasterof
DivinityfromHarvardUniversity,andaPh.D.inGovernmentfrom
CornellUniversity.Currentlyanindependentscholarandconsultant,
Dr.SwartshastaughtatSyracuseUniversityandatRutgers
University–Newarkcampus.Heracademicscholarshipandteaching
and“real‐world”experiencemutuallyinformeachother.Sheisa
lifelongUnitarian‐Universalist(andsince1999,anordainedminister)whoseexposureto
religiously‐rootedactivisminspiredherscholarshiponreligioninAmericansocial
movements.HerexperienceasacommunityorganizerinSanFrancisco’sskidrow,the
Tenderloin,gaverisetoquestionsaboutdifferentcommunityorganizingmodelsaddressed
inherresearch.
PublicationsofinterestincludethebookOrganizingUrbanAmerica:SecularandFaith‐
basedProgressiveMovements(SocialMovements,ProtestandContentionSeries,University
ofMinnesotaPress,2008);“DrawingNewSymbolicBoundariesoverOldSocialBoundaries:
ForgingSocialMovementUnityinCongregation‐BasedCommunityOrganizing”(Sociological
Perspectives54(3),2011),and,withBogdanVasi,“WhichU.S.CitiesAdoptLivingWage
Ordinances?PredictorsofAdoptionofaNewLaborTactic,1994‐2006.”UrbanAffairs
Review47:6,2011).Sheiscurrentlyresearchingcommunityorganizinggroupsassitesof
democraticdeliberation,andanewprojectonthecontrastingculturesandstrategiesthat
conditionsuccessinleft‐andright‐wingmovementcoalitions,underconditionsoftight,
polarizedelectoralcompetition.