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About Us

Mike Nusbaumer, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology

Research Interests

Social Problems, Deviant Behavior and Social Control, Research Methods, Sociology of Drugs, Peace and American Society

Courses Taught

  • Social Problems
  • Departmental Writing Course
  • Deviant Behavior and Social Control
  • Research Methods
  • Sociology of Drugs
  • War on Drugs and War
  • Peace and American Society

For myself, and by my observing most sociologists, I developed early in my life a lot of 'why' questions about society, particularly related to why I didn't seem to fit in. Sociology has provided me with more of those answers than any field I know of. Indeed, the reason sociology has provided me with more insights than psychology is that they think the problem lies within the individual, whereas sociologists have always known the problem did not lie within them- selves.

My current research activities are two-sided. First, I am working in the area of bartenders' responses to liability regarding the service of alcohol to intoxicated customers. Besides a recent research methods class, I also completed a pilot survey of licensed alcohol beverage servers in the State of Indiana. I am currently soliciting grants to expand the research. Secondly, I am in the beginning stages of doing an ethnographic study of antique tractor and gas engine collectors with a primary focus on the relationship between technology and identity.

Download a copy of my current Curriculum Vitae (pdf)