Glenn T. Tsunokai

Glenn Tsunokai joined Western's Sociology Department in 2003 as a specialist in race and ethnic relations and stratification and inequality. Since his arrival, approximately 7,218 undergraduates have taken his introduction level GUR race and ethnicity course.  In this class, students are provided with the knowledge and skills to become culturally competent citizens in an increasingly diverse society. Students enrolled in his stratification course can develop meaningful relations with people from various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds via service learning activities. Glenn encourages his students to develop a deeper understanding of social issues through research.

Over the past 16 years, he has sponsored 148 senior theses and independent studies that have focused on such issues as cultural appropriation, prejudice and discrimination, and media (mis)representation. Glenn has also invited many students to work with him on his own research projects that deal with interracial relationships. He has co-published five articles with eight undergraduate students. While at Western, Glenn has created and co-facilitated diversity and equity workshops, has served on various university committees that focus on diversity related issues, and he continues to serve as an (in)formal mentor/advisor to students from underrepresented backgrounds. Glenn received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Riverside.