Credentials
PhD, Sociology
Columbia University (2023)
- Dissertation: Symbolic Capitalism: Social Justice Discourse, Inequality and the Rise of a New Elite.
(Chairs: Drs. Shamus Khan, Peter Bearman & Andreas Wimmer; External Reviewers: Fabio Rojas & Michele Lamont)
M.Phil, Sociology
Columbia University (2020)
MA, Sociology
Columbia University (2017)
MA, Philosophy
University of Arizona (2013)
- Thesis: “Building on Nietzsche’s Prelude: Reforming Epistemology for the Philosophy of the Future”
(Chair: Dr. Jonathan Weinberg; Advisors: Drs. Marga Reimer & Stewart Cohen).
BA, Near Eastern Studies & Philosophy
University of Arizona (2012)
AA, Philosophy
Cochise College (2009)
Publications
Book
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2024). We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite. Princeton University Press.
Journal Articles
- Clark, Cory w/ Lee Jussim, Komi Frey, Sean Stevens, Musa al-Gharbi et al. (2023). “Prosocial Motives Underlie Scientific Censorship by Scientists: A Perspective and Research Agenda.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120(48): e2301642120.
- Clark, Cory w/ Musa al-Gharbi et al. (2024). “Reply to Darlow and Gray: Censorship Is Exclusion.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121(21): e2404156121.
- Rozado, David w/ Musa al-Gharbi & Jamin Halberstadt (2021). “Prevalence of Prejudice-Denoting Words in News Media Discourse: A Chronological Analysis.” Social Science Computer Review 41(1).
- Rozado, David & Musa al-Gharbi (2021). “Using Word Embeddings to Probe Sentiment Associations of Politically-Loaded Terms in News and Opinion Articles from News Outlets.” Journal of Computational Social Science 5: 427-448.
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2021). “People of the Book: Empire and Social Science in the Islamic Commonwealth Period.” Socius 7. DOI: 10.1177/23780231211021200.
- Smith, Benjamin w/ Andrea Figueroa-Caballero, Musa al-Gharbi & Michael Stohl (2020). “Do You Know Your Enemy? The Role of Known Actors as Framing Devices in News Media.” International Journal of Communication 14: 4717-4738.
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2019). “Resistance as Sacrifice: Towards an Ascetic Antiracism.” Sociological Forum 34 (S1): 1197-1216.
- Smith, Benjamin w/ Michael Stohl & Musa al-Gharbi (2019). “Discourses on Countering Violent Extremism: The Strategic Interplay Between Fear and Security After 9/11.” Critical Studies on Terrorism 12(1): 151-168.
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2018). “Race and the Race for the White House: On Social Research in the Age of Trump.” The American Sociologist 49(4): 496-519.
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2016). “From Political Liberalism to Para-Liberalism: Epistemological Pluralism, Cognitive Liberalism & Authentic Choice.” Comparative Philosophy 7(2).
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2013). “Syria, Contextualized: The Numbers Game.” Middle East Policy 20(1): 56-67.
Reviews
- al-Gharbi, Musa (2024). “Why We Disagree about Inequality: Social Justice vs. Social Order.” Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews 53(4): 346-349.
Public Sociology
I am deeply committed to public sociology — to speaking to the needs, priorities and concerns of citizens and policymakers in a language they can understand — and to ensuring his work is impactful not only within the Ivory Tower but beyond.
My work has also been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, New Republic, The Nation, The Guardian, Columbia Journalism Review, Wilson Quarterly, The Conversation, NBC Think, Al-Jazeera, The Baffler, Salon and elsewhere. I’ve done interviews with NPR, USA Today, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Slate, Reason, Mic, Voice of America and many other outlets to contextualize current events. My research has been featured in stories for Bloomberg, New York Magazine, Times of London, The Intercept, Foreign Affairs and more.
However, the scholarly and publicly-oriented works are ultimately mutually-enhancing. Details on the scholarly impact of my public-facing work is available here. Additional information on the public impact of my scholarly work is available here.
Pedagogy
2023-Present: Assistant Professor of Journalism, Communication and, by courtesy, Sociology (Stony Brook University)
- COM 206: Interpersonal Communication
- JRN 603: Storytelling and Narrative Design
2021: SNF Agora Institute Visiting Fellow (Johns Hopkins University)
- FA21 SOUL: The Knowledge Economy and Inequality
2017-2023: Teaching Assistant, Sociology (Columbia University)
- SOCI UN1000: The Social World
- SOCI UN3000: Classical Social Theory
- SOCI UN3009: Contemporary Social Theory
- SOCI UN3324: Global Urbanism
2014-5: Instructor, Government & Public Service (University of Arizona South)
- GPSV 314: National Security Policy
- GPSV 341: International Organizations
- GPSV 397A: Negotiation Workshop (T.A.)
2011-3: Teaching Assistant, Philosophy (University of Arizona)
- PHIL 160D: Mind, Matter & God
- PHIL 233: Philosophy of Religion
- PHIL 263: Medieval Philosophy
- PHIL 344: Issues and Methods in Analytic Philosophy
- PHIL 347: Neuroethics
- PHIL 463/ 563: Philosophy of Language
Fellowships
2022-Present: Daniel Bell Research Fellow (Heterodox Academy)
2016-23: Paul F. Lazarsfeld Fellowship (Columbia University)
2022: Lead Teaching Fellow (Center for Teaching and Learning, Columbia University).
2020-21: Mellon-Sawyer Fellow on Trust and Mistrust of Science and Experts (INCITE + The American Assembly)
2020-21: Interfaith America Racial Equity Media Fellow (Interfaith Youth Core)
2016-7: Provost Diversity Fellowship (Columbia University)
2012-3: Graduate Access Fellowship (University of Arizona)
2011-2: Foreign Language and Areas Studies Fellowship (U.S. Department of Education)
Academic Community Involvement
2021-Present: Senior Fellow (Criminal Justice), Niskanen Center
2016-20: Communications Director, Heterodox Academy (HxA)
2012-6: Managing Editor, Southwest Initiative for the Study of Middle East Conflicts (SISMEC)
2012-3: Outreach Scholar, UA Center for Mideast Studies (CMES)
2008-9: President, Cochise College Philosophy Club
2007-8: Vice-President, Cochise College Cineaste Film Circle
Affiliations
Scholars Strategy Network (SSN)
American Sociological Association (ASA)
Eastern Sociological Society (ESS)
National Communication Association (NCA)
Middle East Studies Association (MESA)