RESEARCH

My research draws upon sociological theories and research methods to examine Black socio-political life. I am particularly interested in the various ways Black Americans perceive and respond to social inequality and how Black resistance varies across social and institutional spaces. My research specifically explores Black resistive practices within Religion, Higher Education, and Pop-Culture & Sport to theorize contemporary strategies for navigating racial and gendered hierarchies. My peer-reviewed articles and book chapters are listed below.
  • Black Sociology
    • Allen, Shaonta’, ““I Can’t Tell You What Freedom is ‘Cause I’ve Never Seen It:” Addressing the Omission of Liberation Narratives in Sociology.” (Under Review)
    • Allen, Shaonta’, Ifeyinwa Davis, Maretta McDonald, and Candice Robinson. 2020. “New Directions in the Sociology of Black Millennials.” Sociological Perspectives.
      (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0731121420915202)
  • Religion
  • Higher Education
    • Allen, Shaonta’. “The Black Feminist Roots of Scholar-Activism: Lessons from Ida B. Wells-Barnett” in Black Feminist Sociology: Perspectives and Praxis, edited by Zakiya Luna and Whitney Pirtle. (https://blackfeministsociology.com/)
  • Pop-Culture & Sport
    • Accepted. Allen, Shaonta’. “From “We Shall Overcome” to “We Gon Be Alright:” Assessing Black Liberation Movements Through Music.” (Accepted Book Chapter in Theology & Protest Music, edited by Jonathan Harwell and Heidi Altman).
    • Allen, Shaonta’. “From Braids & Beads to Catsuits & Tutus: Serena Williams’s Intersectional Resistance Through Fashion in Sport” in Contemporary Perspectives on Athlete Activism, edited by Rory Magrath. (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003140290/athlete-activism-rory-magrath)
    • Allen, Shaonta’ and Brittney Miles. 2020. “Unapologetic Blackness in Action” Embodied Resistance and Social Movement Scenes in Black Celebrity Activism.” Humanity & Society.
      (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0160597620932886)


Book Project
My book manuscript is titled, “Unapologetic and Unashamed: How Black Christian Millennials Pursue Faith and Freedom during Black Lives Matter.” This study draws on qualitative and quantitative data to assess how the Black Christian tradition is impacting collective identity formation, oppositional consciousness development, and political mobilization for Black Christian Millennials amid the current Black Lives Matter movement. For more details, my book proposal is available upon request.


Community-Based Research Projects
I’ve contributed to a few community-based research projects focused on residents’ perceptions of inequality. Through The Cincinnati Project, I was paired with a local community organization, The Black United Front, to help conduct a comprehensive study which surveyed thousands of Cincinnati residents about their perceptions of community-police relations.

I was also selected as one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Research Fellows to create and implement a study that examines how residents of historically Black neighborhoods perceive urban change and risk of displacement. A full-length report of my findings on Louisville, KY, along with the other Research Fellows’ case-studies, is published here.

I am also a member of the Racial Justice Unity Center collaboration team, a collective of pastors, community leaders, and researchers working together to combat racial inequality. I believe that if we, as scholars, are sincere in our desire to establish equitable conditions on our campuses and in society, we must actively work to bridge the divide between “academia” and the “public” when it comes to our research and other scholarly contributions.


Book Reviews

Academic Blogs & Newsletters

SHAONTA' E. ALLEN

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