Tierra James

Education

PhD, Kent State University, 2022

About Me

Tierra James is an assistant professor of sociology at Auburn University. She received her PhD from Kent State University in 2022. She has analyzed the inequalities faced by people on death row in the U.S. criminal justice system and the health disparities faced by racial and gender minorities.

Tierra’s teaching interests follow her research, which utilizes a variety of methodological designs and statistical techniques. She has prepared a new course, SOCY 5970/6970 - Special Topics in Sociology: Inequalities, Crime, and Justice, which examines how social statuses (e.g., race, class, and gender) influence how the U.S. criminal justice system functions.

Research Interests

Death Penalty, Deviance, Race and Gender Disparities, Death Studies

Publications

• Cureton, J. L., Spates, K., James, T. A., & Lloyd, C. (2023). Readiness of a U.S. Black community to address suicide. Death Studies. DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2023.2214888
• Spates, K., Monobe, G., & James, T. A. (2023). Picture books for young children of incarcerated parents: Through the lens of bibliotherapy. Children & Society, 37, 1517–1534. DOI: 10.1111/chso.12740
• James, T. A., Spates, K., Cureton, J. L., Patel, S., Lloyd, C., & Daniel, D. (2023). “Is This Really Our Problem?”: A Qualitative Exploration of Black Americans’ Misconceptions about Suicide, Deviant Behavior, 44:2, 204-221. DOI: 10.1080/01639625.2022.2026746
• James, T. A., & Solomon, S. J. (2021). Exploring How Interactions Between Race and Social Bonds Influence Substance Use: Findings from a Predominately Black Juvenile Sample. Deviant Behavior, DOI: 10.1080/01639625.2021.1976605
• Spates, K., Evans, N., James, T. A., & Martinez, K. (2020). Gendered Racism in the Lives of Black Women: A Qualitative Exploration. The Journal of Black Psychology, 46(8):583-606. DOI: 10.1177/009579842096225
• Spates, K., Evans, N. M., Watts, B. C., Abubakar, N., & James, T. A. (2020). Keeping ourselves sane: A qualitative exploration of Black women’s coping strategies for gendered racism. Sex Roles, 82(9), 513–524. DOI: 10.1007/s11199-019-01077-1

Courses Taught

• Special Topics in Sociology: Inequalities, Crime, and Justice
• Criminology
• Crime and Justice in America
• Sociology as a Global Perspective