Jualynne E. Dodson, professor emerita of sociology at Michigan State University, has received the 2025 Cox-Johnson-Frazier Award from the American Sociological Association. The award – named for pioneering African American sociologists Oliver Cox, Charles S. Johnson, and E. Franklin Frazier – honors a sociologist who has dedicated their scholarship in service of social justice.
In her work, Dr. Dodson focuses on the study of religion and the global Black diaspora. She is the author of several publications, including Sacred Spaces and Religious Traditions in Oriente Cuba (University of New Mexico Press, 2008) and Engendering Church: Women, Power and the AME Church (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2001).
Before joining the MSU faculty, Dr. Dodson taught at Yale University, Union Theological Seminary, and the University of Colorado – where she founded the African Atlantic Research Team. She brought the team to MSU, where she has taught for over 20 years. Through her program, she has supported more than 75 students from historically marginalized backgrounds on their pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Dr. Dodson holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in sociology, all from the University of California, Berkeley.
