Jon Cruz
End of Navigation
Associate Professor, Sociology
Personal Profile
I have a lovely family. My wife works at USC/Keck School of Medicine. My son just
graduated from college. And my daughter is in the wild throes of Junior High school.
I put them through stress tests frequently when I play my guitars (I have a dozen
stringed instruments). There are numerous other mammals in the household—all covered
in fur. I like to write songs and cook good food. I head to the Sierras when ever
I can…
Research Interests
I’m currently exploring how the digital revolution has impacted music, and using
such debates and changes as a way to grasp current changes in modern society.
Teaching Style
I like to pose large questions that force us to take histories and social theories
seriously, questions that can be partially answered in the modest confines of a
course, by using concepts that are tools (not truths) for critical thinking. In
the process, I ask that students engage issues in their own voices and writing.
I also speak loudly so nobody nods off on my watch…
Idea of a Good Time
…to see my kids negotiate each new stage of life’s challenges; to wake early and
watch the morning light enter the day; to make music with people; to pace along
a high Sierra stream; to feast my eyes on a lovely landscape…
Most Important Thing to Learn at College
How to think as broadly as possible, and be wary of getting “trained” which is not
the same thing as getting educated.
Advice for New Students at UCSB
Choose a major, but don’t let your mind get trapped in one department.
|