Rate My Professor Beth Rubin

Beth Rubin is a distinguished education scholar whose research intersects sociology of education, social inequality, civic engagement, and teaching in diverse classrooms. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999, with prior degrees including an M.A. and B.A. in Sociology. Her work examines how civic learning can be transformed to better serve diverse social studies classrooms, particularly for urban youth and students of color. Rubin has made significant contributions to understanding youth civic identity and the urban civic opportunity gap, advocating for participatory approaches that empower students as active citizens. At Rutgers University Graduate School of Education, she serves as professor and chair of the Department of Educational Theory, Policy, and Administration, where she co-directs the Social Studies Education Program and leads the Youth in Action youth participatory action research (YPAR) program. This initiative has run for over a decade, enabling urban high school students to investigate and address community issues through rigorous research methods, fostering social justice and civic agency.

Key publications include her book 'Making Citizens: Transforming Civic Learning for Diverse Social Studies Classrooms' (Routledge, 2012), which offers practical strategies for educators to integrate students' lived experiences into civics instruction. Other notable works feature 'Confronting the Urban Civic Opportunity Gap' (Journal of Teacher Education, 2016) and collaborations on 'critically relevant civics,' including a presentation with Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education faculty member Dr. Kevin Clay at the National Council for the Social Studies conference in 2020. Rubin received a Fulbright Scholar Grant in 2013 to research civic education challenges in post-conflict Guatemala, incorporating visual methods to explore youth civic identities. Her influence extends to editorial roles, such as on the Online Learning Journal team, peer reviews for prominent journals, and mentoring award-winning educators, including a New Jersey State Teacher of the Year. Rubin's scholarship impacts teacher preparation and policy, emphasizing equity in civic education amid diverse societal contexts.