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.