Student Information
Graduate Student
Sociology
The College of Lib Arts & Sci
Long Bio
Marcus Donaldson is a Sociology Ph.D. student in the School of Social and Family Dynamics and a Doctoral Research Assistant at the Center for Work and Democracy. Marcus’s work focuses on the National Basketball Association (NBA), Black community empowerment, and racial justice.
Marcus has expertise in public education and teaching, qualitative research analysis, race and racism in the United States, research design, community organizing, and internet mediated research. Marcus has taught in the public middle school system and worked in the field of climate justice at the government level.
Marcus’s masters degree research focused on the relationship between police departments and the Black community. As such, Marcus spent several years analyzing the traumatic effects that witnessing police violence on social media has on Black users. His worked has been published in AZ Central and a journal manuscript is in the works.
Marcus is a dual-citizen and a well-traveled individual who has spent considerable time in 24 different countries. Marcus had lead multi-ethnic collaboration efforts implementing racial inclusion techniques in education, local government, and has sat on student-led police reform boards.
Marcus is a member of the American Sociological Association.
Education
Ph.D., Sociology, Arizona State University, expected end 2028.
M.S., Justice Studies, Arizona State University, 2021.
B.S., Criminal Justice and Criminology, Metropolitan State University of Denver, 2015.
Research Interests
Equity in Sport, Race and Racism, Critical Race Theory, Police Violence, Community and Black Empowerment, Social Media, Internet Mediated Research, and Qualitative Data Analysis.
Presentations
2024 - Presenter, “It’s More Than a Game: The NBA Foundation’s Role in Promoting Black Empowerment in Western U.S. Cities,” Institute for Social Science Research Spring 2024 Poster Competition, Arizona State University
2024, 2023, 2022 - Guest Lecturer, “JUS 521: Qualitative Data Analysis”, Graduate Course, School of Social Transformation, Arizona State University
2021, 2020 - Guest Lecturer, “JUS 500: Justice Research Methods”, Graduate Course, School of Social Transformation, Arizona State University
2017, 2016 - Guest Lecturer, “American Civilization”, Undergraduate Course, Department of History, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Professional Associations
American Sociological Association