Erika Derkas Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies
Co-director Women’s studies program
New Mexico Highlands University
CV: Dercus_cv
Faculty Information
Overview
Erika Derkas is a professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at New Mexico Highlands University and is an active researcher in the area of reproductive justice, particularly, international sex worker organizing, population control, and sterilization abuse among poor women and women of color. More recently her research explores how food operates as a lens into issues affected by gender, culture and sexuality. She is currently the co-director of the Women’s studies program and the Women’s Center at Highlands University and has been involved in feminist organizing for numerous years. Her research has taken her from New Zealand to study organizing efforts to decriminalize sex work to Palestine where she is exploring ethnic identity formation among youth, African Palestinians, and women in higher education. Primarily a qualitative sociologists she particularly enjoys face to face interviewing using grounded theory as well as discourse analysis.
Past Teaching Positions
Visiting Scholar, Sociology, Loyola Marymount University, Fall 2001-2003
- Taught two sections of Introduction to Sociology during the fall semesters (~25-30 students each class)
- Beyond the expected readings from the required texts, students choose to read an original work by a contemporary sociologist and met bi-weekly in small groups to discuss and debate the reading material
- Taught Advanced Methodology course during the spring semesters (~ 15 students)
- Students were schooled in designing original and unique research projects. They were mentored on various methodologies used for their independent research projects that were carried out in the local community during the semester
- Taught Contemporary Theory during the fall semesters (~17 students)
- Students were expected to apply the theories covered to either real life sociological issues or through film analysis
Instructor, Sociology, University of New Mexico, Fall 2000- Spring 2001
- Taught Introduction to Sociological Methodology
- Students were expected to apply the knowledge gained during class to field exercises
- Taught Introduction to Global Social Problems
- Students were required to choose a topic from the issues discussed in class and present an in-depth overview and analysis in the form of an oral presentation at the end of the semester
Research Interests
- Reproductive Justice Gender, Race,
- and Ethnic Relations Gender,
- Culture and Foodways Women and Economic Development
- Youth Organizing/Activism
- Global Social Problems
- Cultural and Media Studies
Research Positions Held
Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board Evaluator, 2008 to 2011
- Grant Writer
- Data Collection/analysis
- Program Evaluation
- Statistical Analysis
- Report Author
- Meeting Facilitation
- Budget Administration
Research Associate. Institute for Social Research, University of New Mexico. 1995-2001.
- Responsible for collaborating on grant proposal writing
- Statistical Analysis
- Project Data Collection Specialist
- Interviewer
- Data Entry
- Report Author
- Project Manager
Research Assistant, University of New Mexico, under Dr. Susan Tiano 2001
- Interviewer
- Data Management
- Report Writing
Graduate Assistant. University of New Mexico, Department of Sociology. 1996-2001.
- Course management
- Grading student assignments
- Tutor and study session facilitator
Research Assistant. University of New Mexico, Southwest Hispanic Research Institute, under Dr. Philip B. Gonzales,1995-1998.
- Archival Research Specialist
- Literature Review Collaborator
Publications
Reffereed Publications
Derkas, Erika. (2014) Green Chile: Sentinels of northern New Mexico Ethnic Identity. Digest: A Journal of Foodways and Culture.
Derkas, Erika. (2011-2012) “Don’t Let Your Pregnancy Get in the Way of Your Drug Addiction”: CRACK and the Ideological Construction of the Crack Addicted Mother.” Social Justice.
Ross, Loretta, Lynn Roberts, Erika Derkas, and Pamela Bridgewater. Co-Editors of “Reproductive Justice Anthology” (forthcoming 2014)
Derkas, Erika. “Embracing Sex Work’s Complexity: The Anatomy of Global Organizing.” In Reproductive Justice Anthology (Loretta Ross, Lynn Roberts, Erika Derkas and Pamela Bridgewater eds)
(forthcoming 2014) .
Derkas, Erika and Wise Woman. “Results of Attitude Change in
an Innovative Abstinence Based Program: Wise Woman Gathering Place.” In Reproductive Justice Anthology (Loretta Ross, Lynn Roberts, Erika Derkas and Pamela Bridgewater eds) (forthcoming 2014) .
Derkas, Erika. 2003. “Criminalizing Women’s Bodies: The Politics of
Reproductive Rights”. Law and Society Division of the Society for the Study of Social Problems Newsletter.
Kurlander, Tamar and Derkas, Erika. “Women Confronting Violent Men”, The
Humboldt State Matrix, 1992.
Technical Report Publications
Derkas, Erika. The Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board Updated Needs Assessment, Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board, 2011.
Derkas, Erika. The Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board Evaluation 2010-2011, Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board, 2011.
Derkas, Erika. The Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board Evaluation 2009-2010, Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board, 2010.
Derkas, Erika. The Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board Evaluation 2009-2010, Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board, 2010.
Derkas, Erika. Alternatives to Detention for Juvenile Offenders 2008-2009, Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board, 2009.
Derkas, Erika and Arlie Tagayuna. Needs Assessment for Youth in the San Miguel Area (LVJJCB report), New Mexico Highlands University, 2008.
Boyle, Richard and Derkas, Erika. Long Term Follow-up of Child Development Programs in Albuquerque, University of New Mexico, Institute for Social Research 2001.
Guerin, Paul, Morrison, Shannon and Derkas, Erika. Bernalillo County Criminal Justice System Report and Flow Chart, University of New Mexico, Institute for Social Research, 1999.
Guerin, Paul, Derkas, Erika, and Morrison-Brown, Shannon. Mental Health Survey Research, University of New Mexico, Institute for Social Research, 1999.
Guerin, Paul; McNamara, Laura; Olsen, Andy; Pitts, Wayne; and Derkas, Erika. Adult Community Corrections Evaluation, Institute for Social Research, University of New Mexico, 1996.
Current Grant Activity
“Faculty Development Seminar” summer 2014. $1,000 awarded by the Palestinian American Research Center and $900 awarded by the NMHU Faculty Research Committee.
“Performance Street Art: Yolanda Dominguez”, spring 2014. $15,000 awarded by the Ballen Foundation of New Mexico.
“Adopt a Freshman Program”, fall 2013, $7000 , 1st Community Bank of Las Vegas Grant. Not funded.
“ Theatre of the Oppressed Facilitators Workshop”. $1,500 awarded by the Pino Endowment, Summer 2013.
“Documentary Film: Maureen Gosling”, spring 2013. $15,000 awarded by the Ballen Foundation of New Mexico in collaboration with Cassandra Sobrieski, media arts; Kristie Ross, history.
“Theatre Arts and Young Women’s Resiliency”, fall 2012, $12,000 , 1st Community Bank Grant. Not funded.
“Social Justice Theatre and Reproductive Justice for Young Women of Rural New Mexico”, spring 2012, $15,000 , McCune Foundation. Not funded.
“Social Justice Theatre: Violence and Community”, spring 2011. $15,000 awarded by the Ballen Foundation of New Mexico.
“International Organizing of Sex Workers”, summer 2010. $5,000 awarded by New Mexico Highlands University Faculty Research Grant.
“Amendment Application for Las Vegas Juvenile Justice Continuum Board FY 2010.” $63,222 awarded by New Mexico State Children Youth and Families: Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee.
“Campus Violence Prevention Program”, October 2009. $283,000 awarded by the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women.
“Juvenile Justice Continuum Site: Alternative to Detention”, 2009-2010. $55,003 awarded by New Mexico State Children Youth and Families: Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee.
“The Provision of Cost Effective Services and Temporary, Non-secure Alternative to Detention Through a Juvenile Justice Continuum.” 2008-2009. $90,000 awarded by New Mexico State Children Youth and Families: Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee.
“Sexual and Reproductive Health: Minimizing The Health Disparities Among Adolescent Hispanic Women. Fall 2009. $299,000 National Institute of Health not funded.
“A Needs Assessment Regarding Reproductive Health and Justice for Young Hispanic Women in Northern New Mexico” RIMI Fellow. Spring 2008
“Needs Assessment and Prevention Project: Juvenile Justice”,$1,500 awarded by New Mexico Highlands University Faculty Research Grant. Collaboration work with Dr. Tagayuna and the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee of New Mexico.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
National Women’s Studies Association Annual Meeting. (November 2013). Cincinnati, Ohio.
Session organizer: Reproductive Justice on the Margins.
Erika Derkas, Lynn Roberts, Loretta Ross, and Pamela Bridgewater. “SisterSong Reproductive Anthology Workshop”
Erika Derkas. “The Walls to Reproductive Justice: Palestinian Women, Pregnancy and Israeli Checkpoints“
Annual American Educational Research Association, Research on Women and Education Conference. (October 2013). New Mexico State University, Las Cruces. Erika Derkas and Kristie Ross. “ Theatre of the Oppressed: A Pedagogical Find”
Annual Women’s History Month Conference, University of Texas, El Paso. (April 2013). Erika Derkas. “ Ethiopian Women Denied Reproductive Justice in Israel”.
National Women’s Studies Association Annual Meeting. (November 2012). Erika Derkas. “The Quiet Crusaders: Project Prevention and the Center for Research on Population and Security’s Privatized Eugenics.”
Poster presented at the 92nd Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association. (April 2012). Long, E., Cole, T., Broderick, T. O., Pilotti, M., & Erika Derkas. (April 2012). “The role of ethnicity and gender in taboo word expressions.”
Poster presented at the 82st Annual Convention of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association. (April 2012). Sanders, Y., Derkas, E., Pilotti, M., Gentz, E., & Broderick, T. O. “BMI and subjective measures of self-perception and media influence.”
Poster presented at the 82st Annual Convention of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association. (April 2012). Cole-Snee, T., Long, E. C., Broderick, T. O., Pilotti, M., Derkas, E., & Trosclair, A. “An exploratory study of taboo word expression.”
New Mexico Highlands University Annual Research Day.(April 2012) Poster Co-Presentation with Roberto Velasquez and Erika Derkas, “The Correlations Between Media Representation of Immigration and the Severity of State Policy.”; Poster Co-Presentation with Crystal Montoya and Erika Derkas. “Industrial Impacts on Cultural Maintenance and the Disruption of Foodways: Oil Drilling in the San Juan Basin.”
Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association, Albuquerque, NM April 7, 2011
Andrellita Chavez, Erika Derkas, Kathy Jenkins, “Patient Perceptions Concerning the Gender of Athletic Trainers”
Poster Presentation at the NMHU Faculty Research Day, 2011 Erika Derkas, “Global Organizing Among Sex Worker Advocacy Groups: A Case Study of the New Zealand Prostitute Collective; Poster Co-Presentation at the NMHU Faculty Research Day, 2011 Erika Derkas and Hope Martinez, “An Evaluation of VISTA/Girls Circle”; Poster Co-Presentation at the NMHU Faculty Research Day, 2011 Crystal Montoya and Erika Derkas, “Cultural Food Studies: Northern New Mexico and Cultural Food Practices”
SisterSong National Conference, Miami, Florida July 2011. Erika Derkas, “Decriminalizing Sex Work: Humanizing the Industry”.
National Women’s Studies Association Annual Conference. (November 2010) Denver, Colorado.
Session organizer, “Creative Expressions, Cultural Constructions and Politics: Women and Food Practices.” (attended by three undergraduate sociology students – one presented)
Erika Derkas. “Women, Food, Memory, and Culture” and Crystal Montoya and Erika Derkas, “Christmas and Thanksgiving: Cultural Maintenance and Colonization”.
Western Social Science Association, Houston Texas (April 2012). Erika Derkas, “The correlation between internalized misogyny and homophobia”
Pacific Sociological Association. (April 2010), San Francisco, California. Erika Derkas and Lori Duran, “Rape Myths and Campus Students.”
Pacific Sociological Association. Oakland, California (April 2009). Erika Derkas and Tom Ward, “The University as an Emerging Carceral State”
Erika Derkas. “A Childhood Discourse on Gendered Differences Among Hispanic Boys and Girls”.
Pacific Sociological Association. Portland Oregon, (April 2008). Erika Derkas, “Embracing Sex Work’s Complexity: The Move to De -Criminalize Sex Work Globally”.
Western Social Science Association. Denver, Colorado, (April 2008). Erika Derkas, “Bio-Power as a Mechanism for Economic Growth via the Female Body.”
Erika Derkas and Tom Ward, “To Arm or Not To Arm: Gender and the Arming of Campus Security.”
Sister Song National Conference. Chicago, Illinois (Summer 2007).
Erika Derkas, “Violence Against Sex Workers: Economic Justice.”
New Mexico Highlands University, International Women’s Day Forum, (March 8th, 2007). Erika Derkas, Keynote speaker, “Post Feminism: What’s Next”
Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference Oakland, California, (April 2007). Erika Derkas, “Criminalization of Prenatal Drug Use and the Effects on Women’s Health”
Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference. Hollywood California, (April 2006). Session Presider
Erika Derkas. “Preoccupations: Welfare, Prenatal Drug Exposure and Women’s Health.”
Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference.(April 2006). Erika Derkas. “A (Punitive) Mind Over (what) Matters: Fetal rights vs. Women’s rights.” Hollywood California.
Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference. Portland, Oregon (April 2005) Erika Derkas. “In a Punitive State of Mind” Women and Criminalization.” (accepted but unable to present)
Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference. San Francisco, California (April 2004) Erika Derkas. “Bio-Politics and the CRACK Organization.”
Sister Song Conference. Spellman University, (Summer 2003). Erika Derkas. “CRACK: Regulation of Bodies”.
Society for the Study of Social Problems, Society for Law and Justice Annual Conference. Erika Derkas. “Criminalization of Maternal Drug Use”, Atlanta, Georgia 2003.
Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference. Pasadena, California (April 2003) Erika Derkas. “Discourse and the Regulation of Bodies”,.
National Women’s Studies Association Annual Conference. Las Vegas, Nevada, (2002). Erika Derkas. “Neo-Colonization of the Body: International Population Control Policies.”
Annual Graduate Conference for Anthropology: Erika Derkas. University of New Mexico, (1998) “Environmental Racism.”
Voices and Choices Conference, University of New Mexico (1997). Erika Derkas. On the Edge of Time: Perspectives on Motherhood. “The $2.00 Choice.”
Our Time Has Come Forum, Humboldt State University, (1992). Erika Derkas. “The Role of Women in the Revolution.”