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Jessi Streib

Associate Professor of Sociology
Sociology
2200 West Main Street (Suite 700), Durham, NC 27705

Overview


Jessi Streib is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Duke University. Her research uncovers mechanisms and builds theories about how social class inequality is experienced, reproduced, and alleviated. She has published four books: The Power of the Past: Understanding Cross-Class Marriages, Privilege Lost: Who Leaves the Upper Middle Class and How They Fall, The Accidental Equalizer: How Luck Determines Pay After College, and Is it Racist? Is it Sexist? Why Red and Blue White People Disagree and How To Decide in the Gray Areas.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Sociology · 2021 - Present Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Research Scholar of DuPRI's Population Research Center · 2014 - Present Duke Population Research Center, Duke Population Research Institute

In the News


Published January 8, 2025
A New Study Asks: How Do Kids Figure out Where They Stand Politically?
Published October 26, 2023
Good Reads for the Fall: New Books From Duke Authors
Published September 21, 2021
Meet the Newly Tenured Faculty of 2021

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Recent Publications


Is It Racist? Is It Sexist? Why Red and Blue White People Disagree, and How to Decide in the Gray Areas

Book · January 14, 2025 Why Red and Blue White People Disagree, and How to Decide in the Gray Areas Jessi Streib, Betsy Leondar-Wright. Tom ( research assistant ) : Tell me what made you think it was sexism . Tessa : Because I was treated differently just on ... ... Cite

The Accidental Equalizer How Luck Determines Pay after College

Book · November 19, 2023 The Accidental Equalizer is a frank appraisal of how this “luckocracy” works and its implications for the future of higher education and the middle class. ... Cite

Moving Away from One’s Origins: Predictors of Becoming a First-Generation College Graduate and Not Becoming a Continuing-Generation Graduate

Journal Article Sociological Quarterly · January 1, 2023 Nearly a third of students whose parents do not have bachelor’s degrees become first-generation college graduates and over a third of students with at least one parent with a bachelor’s degree do not become continuing-generation college graduates. We apply ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


Young Voices: The Political Socialization of America's Next Generation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Institute for Humane Studies · 2024 - 2025

Beyond Entering And Remaining: Social Class Inequality In The Transition From College To Work

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Spencer Foundation · 2014 - 2018

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Michigan, Ann Arbor · 2013 Ph.D.