Faculty Highlight: Sarah England

Sarah England, Ph.D.

1. PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF.

I was raised in Austin, Texas by my father and stepmother, both of whom were graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin. My father, a seventh generation Texan, studied philosophy and journalism and my stepmother, who is from Argentina, received a Ph.D. in Spanish Literature. Growing up I was surrounded by graduate students, primarily from Latin America, speaking Spanish, listening to Bossa Nova, and watching movies from Brazil and Argentina, all of which generated my interest in academia and Latin American history and culture. This interest was further cemented by frequent trips to Mexico to visit friends of my father and ethnographic field studies in Central America that I was able to do as an undergraduate. Early on I decided that I wanted to study anthropology, do research in Latin America, and become a professor. I have since conducted research in Honduras, Guatemala, Trinidad, and the US on issues related to gender, race, and immigration. These studies and experiences have greatly expanded my vision of the world and the people in it, and contributed to my philosophy of decentering the “west” in all narratives and expectations about the best path forward for humanity.

2. FROM WHICH INSTITUTIONS DO YOU HOLD DEGREES?

I have a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California at Davis.

3. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO SUA?

I was attracted by the mission as it relates to promoting an awareness of global issues and social justice. Though most universities state this as part of their mission, I feel that at Soka this is truly the overriding goal of the university through both the curriculum and the international diversity of the faculty and student body. When I was hired Soka had just opened and there were only first and second year students, so it was also refreshing to see the incredible enthusiasm of the faculty, staff, and students about this new institution and it was exciting to be a part of building something new.

4. WHAT DISTINGUISHES SOKA STUDENTS IN YOUR OPINION?

I have always been very impressed by students’ dedication to learning, not just for their own career goals and upward mobility, but to use their knowledge and skills to work for larger goals of social justice. Like any students socialized in the system we are in, they worry about grades, but they also seem genuinely concerned about local and global systems of inequality and are willing to engage with theory and ideas that challenge them to think about and critique those systems of inequality, including their own role and privileges within them. Thus, the work they do in class is not simply motivated by getting an A, but also in engaging in the difficult work of critical thinking and selfreflection.

5. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I am inspired by people who do not accept the status quo, who are always critically analyzing social processes and standing against systems of inequality.

6. DO YOU HAVE OTHER REFLECTIONS ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A FACULTY MEMBER AT SUA?

For me one of the most rewarding aspects of being a faculty member at SUA is that so many colearning opportunities are built into the curriculum. Though all SUA classes give me the opportunity to expand my understanding of social issues through students sharing our experiences and ideas with each other, Learning Clusters and supervising capstones stand out as two examples of teaching activities in which student research, analysis, inquiry, and lived experiences have educated me in ways that have gone beyond the often parochial view of academic disciplines.