It was a news story that triggered Dr. Phyllis Gerstenfeld’s interest in “hate crimes”. Being Jewish, growing up in Oregon and aware that the state was formed as a “Whites Only” state with a long history of racism, she was already interested in the psychology of prejudice when as a graduate student she read the story of a man in Florida who was accused of a hate crime. This was a new term to Gerstenfeld, which led to her beginning to study the topic in 1990. Now several decades later she is a national expert on the psychology of prejudice and hate crimes who teaches here in the Central Valley at Stanislaus State. On Thursday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., she will address the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Oakdale, Riverbank, Escalon Branch on “Hate Crimes: Problems and Responses”.
Dr. Gerstenfeld earned a PhD in Psychology and a JD from the University of Nebraska and joined CSU, Stanislaus in 1993. She is currently a professor and chair of the Criminal Justice Department. She is an internationally recognized expert in the field of hate crimes and is author of a leading text on the subject, now in its 4th edition. She has been interviewed and quoted in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, BBC News, CBS News, Vox, The Forward, and NPR, among others.
She received two Fulbright grants to teach and conduct research in Zagreb, Croatia. She and a team of other scholars are currently conducting a large cross-national study on student attitudes toward LGBT people and toward punitiveness.
Attendees must be fully vaccinated, wear masks indoors, and social distance. Prospective members interested in attending this meeting can get further information by calling (209) 847-0271.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has more than 170,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local branches and more than 800 college and university members. Graduates holding an associates or higher degree from an institution of the AAUW list of qualified institutions and persons holding an honorary degree are eligible for membership in AAUW. Learn more at www.aauw.org. Branch information is at http://ore-ca.aauw.net or by emailing the branch at AAUW.ORE@gmail.com.