Whitney Gecker

Trained as a sociologist and a social worker, I’m interested in both people and structures. My research up to this point primarily investigates youth civic engagement, as well as how young people understand privilege and diversity. Place, and the importance of place, is central to my research interests; this is because where a person grows up, or lives, matters very much to how they grow, what they learn, and the ideas and values they hold. My current work examines the predominately white, affluent suburb of Newton, MA in order to better understand how privilege is normalized and inherited.