Wendy Dishman graduated from Bryn Mawr College magna cum laude in English and Sociology with a B.A., and from UCLA in sociology with an M.A. and A.B.D, and received the Chancellor's Fellowship at UCLA. She passed the first doctoral exam in Environmental Sociology at UCLA. Ms. Dishman has been teaching sociology at Santa Monica College for twenty-two years as an Adjunct Instructor, and in the last decade, she has been teaching exclusively online. Prior to teaching at Santa Monica College, Ms. Dishman taught sociology at a variety of colleges, including Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Northridge and was a Teaching Fellow at UCLA where she taught the first class on the Environment and Society. She is also a member of environmental and social justice groups, For leisure, she hikes, folk dances and travels.
Specialty Areas
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Environmental Sociology
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Political Theory
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Race and Ethnicity
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Sex and Gender
Teaching Philosophy/Equity Statement
Teaching students how to think critically while making them aware of the inequities in our society are the motivations which animate my teaching and enliven my classes. My teaching philosophy is informed by the belief that knowledge ultimately brings power to those who suffer from too little of it. While teaching difficult sociological topics is a challenge for the student, the ultimate result is gratifying; they feel the strength in knowing what is true. To this end, I believe in helping each student find both their style of learning and the issues which motivate them to move further than they have been before.