Zach Richer

Zach Richer (Ph.D., University of Maryland) is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Research Affiliate in the Global Migration Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He is a cultural sociologist who works on politics, law, and pedagogy. His current work is especially interested in when and how people recognize, voice, and reconcile political disagreements in group settings. This focus draws on normative political theory, cognitive psychology, and the sociology of emotions to understand how collective meanings take shape around shared problems. Professor Richer's recent scholarship in university pedagogy evaluates how group activities such as writing retreats and deliberations on social controversies enhance individual learning outcomes. Much of this work draws upon empirical data gathered from classroom interventions, which also furnishes a research stream in the philosophy of education on critical reflection and judgment.

Professor Richer teaches sociolegal studies in the Criminology, Law & Society program at UTM. Within this field, his courses focus on how law acts as a formal and institutional mechanism to clarify and stabilize relationships, codify and signal appropriate conduct in social settings, and promote moral commitments among citizens and residents. He also examines how this legal context shapes the efforts of social movements and civic organizations to enact social change.