Rashawn Ray

Dr. Rashawn Ray is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, renowned for his expertise in understanding and addressing racial and social inequality. His research focuses on police-civilian relations, men’s treatment of women, racial uplift activism, and social policy as mechanisms for combating inequality.

In addition to his role at Brookings, Dr. Ray serves as a professor of Sociology and executive director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research (LASSR) at the University of Maryland. He is also the co-editor of Contexts Magazine: Sociology for the Public. Previously, he was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.

With an extensive publication record, Dr. Ray has contributed to prestigious academic journals such as the American Journal of Sociology and the Annual Review of Public Health. His influential books, including How Families Matter: Simply Complicated Intersections of Race, Gender, and Work with Pamela Braboy Jackson, and Race and Ethnic Relations in the 21st Century: History, Theory, Institutions, and Policy, have been adopted in numerous college courses.

Dr. Ray’s influence extends beyond academia, as he frequently testifies at both federal and state levels on topics such as racial equity, policing and criminal justice reform, health policy, and family policy. His expertise has been sought after by leading news outlets, including the Washington Post, New York Times, BBC News, and NPR, and he has appeared on major television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News.

To stay updated on Dr. Ray’s work and insights, you can connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @SociologistRay.