Research Interests

• Criminology and Race
• Racialized Social Control
• Latina/o/x Criminology/Sociology
• Violence
• Urban Ethnography
• Youth Justice

Courses Taught at Texas A&M

• SOCI 304: Criminology
• SOCI 317: Racial and Ethnic Relations
• SOCI 403: Sociology of Latinos
• SOCI 489: Race, Ethnicity, Crime and Justice
• SOCI 627: Foundations of Crime, Law and Deviance
• SOCI 627: Race, Ethnicity, Crime and Justice

Bio

Dr. Durán has been at the Texas A&M University since 2018. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado in 2006 and previously was a tenured and promoted associate professor at New Mexico State University (2006-2014) and University of Tennessee (2014-2018). His research focuses upon four areas: 1) gangs; 2) police shootings; 3) disproportionate minority contact for juveniles; and 4) neighborhood segregation shaped by racial and ethnic inequalities. As a criminologist and urban ethnographer, I have primarily concentrated my research on institutions of social control and how they vary between Mexican American barrios, White suburbs, and Black neighborhoods in the Southwest and Southeast along with individual and group efforts to resist unequal treatment. My overall devotion to my academic career is towards assisting grassroots empowerment strategies in marginalized communities by using research to change institutional policies and practices.

Representative Publications

University Press Books

• Durán, Robert J. 2018. The Gang Paradox: Inequality and Miracles on the U.S.-Mexico Border. New York: Columbia University Press.
• Durán, Robert J. 2013. Gang Life in Two Cities: An Insider’s Journey. New York: Columbia University Press.

Scholarly Articles

• Durán, Robert J. and Charlene Shroulote-Durán. 2021. “The Racialized Patterns of Police Violence: The Critical Importance of Research as Praxis.” Sociology Compass 15, no. 8: 1-15.
• Durán, Robert J. and Jason A. Campos. 2020. “Gangs, Gangsters, and the Impact of Settler Colonialism on the Latina/o Experience.” Sociology Compass 14, no. 3: 1-15.
• Durán, Robert J. and Oralia Loza. 2017. “Exploring the Two Trigger Fingers Thesis: Racial and Ethnic Differences in Officer Involved Shootings.” Contemporary Justice Review: Issues in Criminal, Social, and Restorative Justice 20, no. 1: 71-94.
• Durán, Robert J. 2016. “No Justice, No Peace: Examining Controversial Officer Involved Shootings.” Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race 13, no. 1: 61-83.
• Durán, Robert J. and Carlos E. Posadas. 2013. “Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Land of Enchantment: Juvenile Justice Disparities as a Reflection of White-over-Color Ascendancy.” Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice 11, no. 1-2: 93-111.
• Durán, Robert J. 2009. “Legitimated Oppression: Inner-city Mexican American Experiences with Police Gang Enforcement.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 38, no. 2: 143-168.

Book Chapters

• Durán, Robert J. and Jason A. Campos. 2021. “The War on Gangs and Gangsters: Settler Colonialism and the Criminalization of Latinos/as.” Pp. 271-283 in Routledge International Handbook of Critical Gang Studies, edited by David Brotherton and Rafael Gude. New York, Routledge.
• Durán, Robert J. 2019. “Officer Involved Shootings of Latinos: Moving Beyond the Black/White Binary.” Pp. 44-62 in Gringo Injustice: Insider Perspectives on Police, Gangs, and Law, edited by Alfredo Mirandé. New York: Routledge.
• Durán, Robert J. 2017. “Policing the Barrios: Latinos and Law Enforcement Over the Years.” Pp. 96-116 in Ethnicity and Criminal Justice in the Era of Mass Incarceration: A Critical Reader on the Latino Experience, edited by Martin G. Urbina and Sofia Espinoza Álvarez. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
• Durán, Robert J. 2011. “An Attempt to Change Disproportionate Minority Contact by Working in Youth Corrections.” Pp. 149-164 in Experiencing Corrections: Lessons from the Field, edited by Mike Johnson. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Representative Awards

• 2021 Glasscock Internal Faculty Residential Fellow. 2021-2022. Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research. Texas A&M University.
• 2019 Recipient of Coramae Richey Mann Award for outstanding contributions of scholarship on race, ethnicity, crime, and justice. American Society of Criminology, Division on People of Color and Crime.
• 2013 Recipient of 2012-2013, Professor of the Year. Selected by the students of the Criminal Justice Department at New Mexico State University for demonstrating enthusiastic support, dedication and going above and beyond in support of your students.
• 2011 Recipient of New Scholar Award. American Society of Criminology, Division on People of Color and Crime.
• 2010 Junior Faculty of the Year Award (Scholarship and Teaching). New Mexico State University. Hispanic Faculty and Staff Caucus.
• 2005 Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate (Scholar-Activist) Scholarship. Society for the Study of Social Problems.
• 2004 Graduate Part-Time Instructor of the Year. University of Colorado-Sociology Department.
• 2004 Residence Life Teaching Award. University of Colorado.

Representative Media Coverage

• “Is There A 2020s Crime Wave?” Texas A&M University, College of Liberal Arts by Tiarra Drisker 7/5/22.
• “Why Criminal Justice Reform Is An Important Element Of Civil Rights” Texas A&M University, College of Liberal Arts by Rachel Knight 1/14/22.
• “65 Percent of Denver Police Shootings Questionable or Problematic, Study Says.” Westword-Colorado by Michael Roberts 2/3/17.
• “Need for Belonging, Lack of Opportunity Drive Knoxville Gang Membership.” Knoxville News Sentinel by Hayes Hickman. 7/31/16.
• “Smile Now, Cry Later: Gang Life and Insider’s Journey.” University at Buffalo. The State University of New York. InSocialWork Podcast Series by Steven Schwartz. Episode 138. 3/3/14.
• “Gang Life in Two Cities: Dr. Robert J. Durán.” KRWG – Fronteras by Anthony Moreno. Episode 12/20/12.
• “Former Gang Member on his way to Doctoral Degree.” KSL-TV Utah by Kimberly Houk. 7/9/04.
• “Street Wise.” Westword-Colorado by Laura Bond 6/3/04.