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Department of

Sociology

Belinda C. Lum, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology

Belinda C. Lum joined the University of San Diego faculty in 2007.  She currently teaches courses in the Sociology concentration areas of: Community, Urbanization, and Culture; and, Power & Inequality in Global Perspective. Her areas of specialization include: International Migration; Work & Labor; Social Inequality in Urban Contexts; Race & Ethnicity; Public Sociology; and Asian American Studies. Professor Lum is a member of the On Our Campus committee, which actively promotes diversity and inclusion on campus.  She currently serves as  Residential Faculty in the Cuyamaca Building in the Vistas.

Education

Professor Lum earned her B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz; and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Southern California.

Scholarly and Creative Work

Professor Lum is currently preparing a manuscript based on research conducted in conjunction with her participation in the Ford Foundation sponsored: Low Wage Work, Migration, and Gender working group. She is completing articles based on research from her dissertation, “Immigrant and Los Angeles Labor Unions: Negotiating Empowerment, Politics, and Citizenship.” Finally, she is co-authoring an interdisciplinary life-story project entitled, “All Mixed Up: Identity Construction in Multigenerational Multiracial Families.”

Dr. Lum currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Impacto Foundation –an international nonprofit dedicated to the empowerment of indigenous youths through hands-on training in photography, filmmaking, and digital media. Prior to joining the University of San Diego faculty, Dr. Lum worked as a consultant conducting participatory community action research; evaluation & assessment; large group facilitation; and strategic consulting.

Teaching Interests

Dr. Lum teaches a variety of cross-listed courses for the Sociology Department and Ethnic Studies program including: Work & Labor, Asian & Latino Workers, Immigrant America, and Culture & the Metropolis.  Within the Sociology major, she teaches Methods of Social Research, and Introduction to Sociology. These classes provide students with hands-on opportunities to work and learn in the community through USD’s Community Service Learning program. During Fall Semester 2009, Professor Lum teams up with Professors Pulido, Reifer, and Simonovis to teach an interdisciplinary cluster preceptorial titled, “Immigration and Ethnicity in Literature & Music: Movement, Sounds, & Words.”