Woody Doane, professor of sociology in the social sciences department of Hillyer College, is the recipient of this year's Humphrey R. Tonkin Award. This honor is given annually to a full-time faculty member for scholarly and/or artistic creativity
Doane has more than three decades of exemplary scholarship behind him that have made an important contribution to the sociological study of race, ethnicity, and racism. Along the way, he has given hundreds of students a solid foundation on which to build their own careers.
Doane’s academic domain overflows with numerous subfields, but he has the organizational skills, and certainly the curiosity and dedication, to embrace each one fully. These include, among others, race and racial discourse, ethnicity, racism, dominant group ethnicity, colorblind racial ideology, white nationalism, and humanist sociology.
Such broad scholarship is impressively reflected in the scope of his published work, which includes books, book chapters, articles, and essays—more than 40 to date. Soon to be published is a chapter in the forthcoming book Critical Race Theory: The Latest Battleground in the Defense of White Supremacy and another in Reflections on the Future of Humanist Sociology.
“Beyond his impressive publication record, Dr. Doane has been a dedicated teacher and mentor, whose mentorship is characterized by a commitment to fostering critical thinking and encouraging students to apply their learning to real-world issues,” says Melinda S. Miceli, associate professor of sociology and chair of the social sciences department at Hillyer College. “His contributions to sociology, particularly in the study of race and racism, have had an indelible impact, and his career continues to inspire his peers and the next generation of scholars.”
Doane has doctoral and master’s degrees in sociology from the University of New Hampshire. He has held several administrative positions at Hillyer since 1999, including associate dean for academic administration and chair of the department of social sciences. Among the awards with which he has been recognized throughout his extraordinary academic, research, and publishing careers are the Founders Award for Scholarship and Service from the American Sociological Association and the Lee Founders Award for Scholarship and Service from the Society for the Study of Social Problems. Doane has also delivered more than 90 presentations at renowned conferences and institutions.