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Alissa Ruth is an educational anthropologist and serves as the director of strategic initiatives within the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. Ruth received her doctorate degree in sociocultural anthropology with a focus on immigration to the U.S. and undocumented immigrant youth. Broadly stated, her research focuses on structural inequalities faced by students of color, including immigrants, within the United States and how those individuals overcome obstacles for upward social mobility. For example, a past project investigated how undocumented immigrant youth, called DREAMers, utilized their knowledge of U.S. cultural and society in order to form community and claim rights. Her current research interests include innovative teaching pedagogies that improve students’ structural awareness, cultural understandings of public education, resistance and conformity within educational institutions, and the success of first-generation college students.
Before joining ASU in 2007, Ruth taught English as a Second Language at the University of Guanajuato in Guanajuato, Mexico for two years and is certified in student-centered teaching pedagogies. She has over 15 years of higher education experience including research, teaching, advising, study abroad, curriculum design, and online program/course development. Additionally, Dr. Ruth is highly engaged in mentoring students and community members on various college and career pathways.
Diversity Issues in Higher Education, First-Generation Students, Critical Pedagogy, Structural Awareness, Migration to the U.S., Undocumented Immigrants/immigrant youth, 1.5 Generation Immigrants, Immigrant Health, Human Rights, Citizenship, with a regional focus in US Southwest, Mexico/Latin America
Ruth, A. & E. Estrada. (2019). DACAmented Homecomings: A Brief Return to Mexico and the Reshaping of Bounded Solidarity among Mixed-Status Latinx Families. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences. May 43(2): 145-165
Ruth, A., E. Estrada, S. Martinez-Fuentes & A. Vazquez-Ramos. (2019). Soy de aqui, Soy de alla: DACAmented Homecomings and Implications for Identity and Belonging. Latino Studies. Fall 17(3): 304-322
Ruth, A., A. Wutich & A. Brewis. (2019). A Model for Scaling Undergraduate Research Experiences: The Global Ethnohydrology Study. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters. March 37(1): 25-34
Ruth, A., J. Hackman, A. Brewis, T. Spence, R. Luchmun, J. Velez, & T.G. Ganesh. (2019). Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) in High Schools: Subtle but Potentially Important Student Gains Detected from Human-Centered Design Curriculum. Education Sciences. February: 9(35):1-17
Ruth, A. (2018). Attaining the College Dream: The Effects of Politics on the Social Capital of First-Generation Undocumented Immigrant Students. Human Organization. March: 77(1)
Ruth, A., A. Brewis, D. Blasco & A. Wutich. (2018). Long-term Benefits of Short Term Research-Integrated Study Abroad. Journal of Studies in International Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315318786448
Cadenas, G., E. Cantú, T. Spence & A. Ruth. (2018). Critical Consciousness and Entrepreneurship Career Development in Underserved Communities. Journal of Career Development. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845318793968
Ruth, A., A. Wutich & A. Brewis. (2016). The Global Ethnohydrology Study: Integrating Global Health Undergraduates in Collaborative Research. Practicing Anthropology. October: 34(4)
Wutich, A., A. Ruth, A. Brewis & C. Boone. (2014). Stigmatized Neighborhoods, Social Bonding and Health. Medical Anthropology Quarterly. December: 28(4)
Vins, H., A. Wutich, A. Brewis, M. Beresford, A. Ruth & C. Roberts. (2014). Gender and Children’s Perceived Water Futures in the U.S. Desert Southwest. Human Organization. Fall: 73(3)
Ruth is currently working on the following three research projects:
| Fall 2019 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| Summer 2019 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| Spring 2019 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| Fall 2018 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| Summer 2018 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| ASM 414 | Urban and Environmental Health |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| Spring 2018 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| Fall 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 102 | Culture in a Globalizing World |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| Spring 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 494 | Special Topics |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| Fall 2016 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| Summer 2016 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| ASM 414 | Urban and Environmental Health |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| Spring 2016 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Culturl Stds Global Hlth |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 494 | Special Topics |
| Fall 2015 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| SSH 484 | Internship |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| Spring 2015 | |
|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Title |
| ASM 338 | Anthropological Field Session |
| SSH 484 | Internship |
Ruth has overseen cutting-edge curricular projects including online programs, undergraduate research, and study abroad programs. An example of a project she managed was ASM 246 Human Origins--an open, digitally enabled course for ASU’s Global Freshman Academy.
