Dr. Herbert Rodrigues

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Role: Faculty
Campus: Springfield

Postal mail

Missouri State University
Sociology and Anthropology
901 S. National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897

Biography

Dr. Herbert Rodrigues is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology. Born into a working-class family during the economic and political turmoil of Brazil’s military dictatorship, Dr. Rodrigues became the first in his family to complete higher education. His background has profoundly shaped his commitment to addressing social inequality and creating pathways to success for marginalized communities, bringing a deeply personal understanding to his scholarly work.

Dr. Rodrigues’ academic journey began at the University of São Paulo, one of Latin America’s most prestigious institutions. His research focuses on youth development, legal socialization, and juvenile delinquency, with particular attention to how young people from marginalized communities form attitudes toward authority and law. His work has appeared in the Journal of Research on Adolescence, British Journal of Criminology, International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and Social Justice Research.

In his teaching, Dr. Rodrigues offers courses including Introduction to Society, Social Problems, Social Deviance, Juvenile Delinquency, and Violence and Society in Latin America. His pedagogical approach draws on his unique position as someone who bridges academic theory with lived experience, bringing intellectual rigor alongside authentic perspectives to help students understand global issues through multiple lenses.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Rodrigues is committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars. His own path to professorship has inspired his dedication to opening doors for others. He recognizes education as a powerful tool for addressing social inequality and works actively to ensure that students from diverse backgrounds can envision and achieve academic success.

Details

Education

  • PhD, Sociology, 2014, University of São Paulo, Brazil
  • MA, Social Anthropology, 2006, University of São Paulo, Brazil
  • BA, Social Sciences, 2003, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Teaching

  • SOC 150 Introduction to Society
  • SOC 152 Social Problems
  • SOC 310 Social Deviance
  • SOC 325: Introduction to Sociological Theory
  • SOC 332 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC 350 Violence and Society in Latin America
  • SOC 596: Directed Readings in Sociology

Professional experience

Selected publications

Professional affiliations

  • American Sociological Association (ASA)
  • Midwest Sociological Society (MSS)

Research and professional interests

  • Social deviance and violence
  • Youth and adolescence
  • Legal socialization
  • Sociology of the global south

Additional resources