Daniel Eisen, PhD

Course Information
At Pacific University, all faculty teach a variety of different courses. Typically, we do not use graduate teaching assistants, which means that your classes will be taught by professors and that you will have plenty of opportunities to get to know the faculty in your discipline. Below I have listed some of the courses that I teach. We are always developing and trying out new classes, so the list may change now and then. You can descriptions of the courses listed below on the website.

SOC 120 Images, Society, and Identity
SOC 300 Introduction to Social Research
SOC 308 Racism and Ethnicity in Hawai‘i
SOC 323 Junior Seminar
SOC 342 Consumer Society
SOC 360 Critical Race Theory
SOC 355 Filipinos in Hawai‘i

Education

PhD in Sociology, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI in 2011.

Master of Arts in Sociology, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI in 2009.

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR in 2003.

Areas of Research

My research is situated in the study of race, ethnic identity, and racial and ethnic relations.  Employing critical race theory and grounded theory methodologies my research examines Filipino ethnic identity development in Hawai‘i.  Many individuals in Hawai‘i grow up being ashamed or embarrassed about their Filipino heritage.  My research focuses on how this sense of shame is shaped by the social structures of Hawai‘i and how individuals eventually assert a Filipino identity in this context.  While this is the main focus of my research I have also done work on racial and ethnic relations on college campuses, the construction of masculinity, and innovative teaching methods that engage students in the classroom.

Select Presentations

Eisen, Daniel B. and Liann Yamashita. 2016. “Men, Good Men, and Good People: “Progressive” Men’s Hegemonic Narratives about Masculinity.” Pacific Sociological Association’s Annual Meeting, Oakland, CA.

Eisen, Daniel B. and Ashley McKenzie. 2016. “Combatting the “Hypersensitive” Argument: An Activity to Teach about Microaggressions.” Pacific Sociological Association’s Annual Meeting, Oakland, CA.

Eisen, Daniel B., Liann Yamashita, and Ashley McKenzie. 2015. “The Caring Man: Challenging Boundaries, Reaffirming Structures.” Pacific Sociological Association’s Annual Meeting, Long Beach, CA.

Eisen, Daniel B. 2014. “From Ethnic Shame to Filipino Role Model: Ethnic Identity Development After Asserting a Filipino Identity. Pacific Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon.

Eisen, Daniel B. “The Distorted Looking Glass: Struggles with the Racialized Self and a Filipi(NO) Identity. Invited Lecture for Honolulu Community College Social Science Speaker Series, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Eisen, Daniel B. and Jane H. Yamashiro. 2013. “Local Identity as Navigational Capital: Forgoing an Ethnic Identity to Navigate Racial Hierarchies in Hawaii.” Association for Asian American Studies Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington.

Eisen, Daniel B., Roderick Labrador, and Fumiko Takasugi. 2013. “Is it Really Just a Joke?: Engaging Students in Critical Examination of Ethnic Humor.” Pacific Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Reno, Nevada.

Eisen, Daniel B., Kelly Stevens, Kaeli D. Laxson, Eric Gietzen, and Sean Dalton. 2013. “Becoming “Hawaiian” on Mainland College Campuses: Labeling, Essentialism, and the Search for Safe Spaces.” Pacific Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Reno, Nevada.

Eisen, Daniel B., Charlotte Basch, Catherine Prechtel, and Ben Sanderlin. 2013. “White Privilege on Campus: Feelings of Exclusivity, Discourses of Privilege, and Constructing Racial Boundaries.” Pacific Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Reno, Nevada.

Eisen, Daniel B., Arlie Tagayuna, and Kara Takasaki. 2012. “I’m Filipino!: The Role of Education in the Adoption of a Filipino Ethnic Identity.” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado.

Eisen, Daniel B., Arlie Tagayuna, and Kara Takasaki. 2012. “What Does it Mean to be Filipino?: Choosing a Side and Developing a Filipino Identity.” Filipino American Historical Society Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Eisen, Daniel B. 2012. “Being Filipino: Experiences with Microaggressions and the Presence of a Colonial Mentality.” Hawaii Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Eisen, Daniel B. 2011. “Sociology in a Photograph: Developing the Sociological Imagination and Creating Critical Thinkers.” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Select Publications

Eisen, Daniel B., Kara Takasaki, and Arlie Tagayuna. 2015. “Am I Really Filipino?: The Unintended Consequences of Filipino Language and Culture Courses in Hawaii.” Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity 1(2): 25-53.

Eisen, Daniel B. 2015. “Constructing ‘Hawaiian,’ Post-Racial Narratives, and Social Boundaries at a Predominantly White University.” in College Students’ Experiences of Power and Marginality: Sharing Spaces and Negotiating Differences, edited by E.M. Lee and C. LaDousa. New York: Routledge.

Eisen, Daniel B. April 2015. “The Noble Fighter and the Shadows of Empire.” 

Eisen, Daniel B. 2014. “Identity Formation.” Pp. 481-485 in Asian American Society: An Encyclopedia, edited by M.Y. Danico. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Boykoff, Jules and Daniel B. Eisen. December 2014. “Gilmore Junio’s Selfless Act: The Whispers of Olympic and Ethnic Culture.” 

Eisen, Daniel B. 2012. “Developing a Critical Lens: Using Photography to Teach Sociology and Create Critical Thinkers.” Teaching Sociology 40(4): 349-59.

The following have been published in the Fil-Am Courier, a Filipino-American Newspaper in Honolulu, Hawai‘i:

Eisen, Daniel B. May 2016. “What You Do Matters”
Eisen, Daniel B. March 2016. “Nurturing Identity Development: A Step in Cultivating Communities.”
Eisen, Daniel B. December 2015. “What is a Filipino Issue?”
Eisen, Daniel B. October 2015. “Public Celebrations of Filipino Culture are Important.”
Eisen, Daniel B. July 2015. “‘Parts Unknown:’ Different Presentation, Same Story.”
Eisen, Daniel B. June 2015. “The Importance of Remembering History.”
Eisen, Daniel B. May 2015. “Cultural Practices as Opportunities for Cultural Exploration.”
Eisen, Daniel B. April 2015. “The Less than Perfect Answer to ‘How Do We Fix the Problem.’”
Eisen, Daniel B. March 2015. “Look I’m on TV: Representations of Diversity on Television.”
Eisen, Daniel B. January 2015. “Make Racial Harmony Your New Year’s Resolution”
Eisen, Daniel B. December 2014. “Privileging English Through Mocking Filipino.”
Eisen, Daniel B. November 2014. “Do You Speak Tagalog?”
Eisen, Daniel B. October 2014. “Inspiring the Youth by Coming Out as Role Model who is Filipino.”
Eisen, Daniel B. July 2014. “Simple Linguistic Change May Have Profound Effect.”
Eisen, Daniel B. June 2014.  “On Filipinos in the Service Sector.”
Eisen, Daniel B.  May 2014. “Embrace Opportunities to Combat the Colonial Mentality.”
Eisen, Daniel B.  April 2014. “Diversity is More than a Pie Chart.”