Jennifer Esposito

Jennifer Esposito is chair of the Department of Educational Policy Studies and a Distinguished University Professor of research, measurement and statistics. Her research can be divided into two strands of inquiry: 1). How do race, class, gender and/or sexuality impact a person’s experiences within education, broadly conceived? 2). How are marginalized groups represented in popular culture and what are the impacts of those representations? She has utilized a variety of types of methodologies, including discourse analysis, media analysis, testimonial, autoethnography, ethnography, interview studies and case studies, as well as theoretical frameworks, such as intersectionality, critical race theory and critical race feminism.

She is the author of two books and more than 40 articles and book chapters. Most recently, her book, "Introduction to Intersectional Qualitative Research" (co-authored with Venus Evans Winters) was published by Sage in 2021, and "Intersectional Analysis of Popular Culture Texts: Clarity in the Matrix" (co-authored with Erica Edwards) was published by Routledge in 2020. The latter won the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI) 2021 Book Award. Her research has been published in journals such as Qualitative Inquiry, International Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, International Review of Qualitative Research, Urban Education and Urban Review.

Esposito loves working with students and runs a multi-level mentoring group for the students she advises. She has chaired 20 dissertations to completion and served as a methodologist on 56 others. Active at all levels of service to the university, she has served as the College of Education & Human Development's research, measurement and statistics program coordinator, served on the University Senate and served on department- and college-level committees. Most recently, Esposito was the 2019 recipient of Georgia State University's George M. Sparks Award, which recognizes the university's unsung heroes – faculty, staff and students, who, like Sparks, are willing to go the extra mile with good humor and perseverance.

As part of her work on the university's Racial Taskforce, Esposito, along with other Taskforce members, received Georgia State's inaugural JEDI award. The JEDI award acknowledges leaders within the Georgia State community whose work and values reflect their commitment to creating an inclusive, just environment.