Dr. Jason Ulsperger

PROFESSOR

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Ulsperger obtained his B.S. from the University of Central Arkansas in 1997 as an H.L. Minton Scholar. He earned his M.A. in Sociology from Arkansas State University in 1999. That same year, he received the Student Award of Excellence from the Southwest Society on Aging. He completed his Ph.D. in Sociology at Oklahoma State University in 2003 with concentrations in Crime/Deviance, Social Psychology, and Gerontology. While there, he won the O.D. Duncan Award. He holds ATU Faculty of Excellence Awards in both teaching and Scholarship. Sociological Spectrum recognized one of his manuscripts as "Article of the Year." He is the co-author of Elder Care Catastrophe: Rituals of Abuse in Nursing Homes (Routledge, 2016), author of The 53: Rituals, Grief, and a Titan II Missile Disaster (Lexington, 2022), and co-editor of several oral history projects. He is also the primary author of over 60 journal articles, book chapters, and encyclopedia entries. Dr. Ulsperger has presented his research over 50 times at a variety of regional, national, and international conferences. The International Organization of Social Sciences and Behavioral Research awarded one of his co-authored manuscripts on stalking and victimization "Best Paper." He is a former President of the Mid-South Sociological Association and regional representative for Alpha Kappa Delta, the international honor society of sociology. He is an award winning faculty sponsor for AKD and Alpha Phi Sigma, the international criminal justice honor society. Under Dr. Ulsperger’s guidance, both won national service awards. Dr. Ulsperger and his students actively engage with nonprofit and government agencies, including the Arkansas State Supreme Court, Pope County Department of Youth Rehabilitation, River Valley Child Advocacy Center, and CASA of the 5th Judicial District.

EDUCATION HISTORY

  • BS-University of Central Arkansas
  • MA-Arkansas State Univ-Main Campus
  • PHD-Oklahoma State Univ-Main Campus

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. Ulsperger's research revolves around Structural Ritualization Theory. He is currently using SRT to study organizational deviance as related to technological disasters and survivor grief. He also studies law formation processes. Several of his studies use SRT to analyze criminal behavior in a variety of environments, such as corporations and long-term care facilities. Some of his work focuses on ritualized strain and its relation to mass homicide. A well-known former member of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit recently described it as an "interesting and unique perspective" on crime.

Recently Taught Courses

  • CJ 4143 - SEM: SEX CRIMES
  • CJ 4993 - SP: PRISON SUBCULTURES
  • CJ 4994 - SP: PROSECUTION FUNCTION
  • SOC 1003 - INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY
  • SOC 4143 - SEM: SEX CRIMES
  • SOC 4183 - SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY
  • SOC 4993 - SP: HOMELESS POPULATONS
  • SOC 4994 - SP: SOCIOLOGY OF LAW