Fall 2025
Section 0368 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Aug 18 - Dec 12 2025
This section has no scheduled meetings.
Section 2113 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Aug 18 - Dec 12 2025
This section has no scheduled meetings.
Section 2118 of SOC10
Close Relationships and Family Life -- : Aug 18 - Dec 12 2025
This section has no scheduled meetings.
Section 2625 of SOC15
Introduction to Sociology of Gender -- : Sep 16 - Dec 12 2025
This is a late start section that will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Section 4164 of SOC1
Introduction to Sociology -- : Sep 16 - Dec 12 2025
This is a late start section that will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Summer 2025
Section 8813 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Jun 16 - Jul 27 2025
This section has no scheduled meetings.
Section 9862 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Jun 16 - Jul 27 2025
This section has no scheduled meetings.
Spring 2025
Section 4605 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Jan 13 - May 16 2025
This section has no regularly scheduled meetings.
Section 5237 of SOC1
Introduction to Sociology -- : Feb 11 - May 16 2025
This is late start section that will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online. All students are welcome to enroll in this class; and this section will have extra support from the Lanzamientoinitiative.
Section 5851 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Jan 13 - May 16 2025
This section has no regularly scheduled meetings.
Section 5917 of SOC30
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality -- : Feb 20 - May 16 2025
This is a late start section that will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Section 6089 of SOC15
Introduction to Sociology of Gender -- : Feb 11 - May 16 2025
This is a late start section that will meet in person at the day(s), time(s), and location listed. There will be additional course content delivered asynchronously online.
Section 6093 of SOC10
Close Relationships and Family Life -- : Jan 13 - May 16 2025
This section has no regularly scheduled meetings.
2009, Ph.D. in Sociology, The New School for Social Research, New York, U.S.A.
2003, M.A. in Sociology, The New School for Social Research, New York, U.S.A.
2000, M.Sc. in Political Sociology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, U.K.
1999, B.A. in International Relations, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
1995, Sankt Georg Austrian High School, Istanbul, Turkey
I’m Dr. Şölen (pronounced Sho-lan) Şanlı (pronounced Sean-la) Vasquez(pronounced Vas-kez). You may call me Dr. Solen, Dr. Vasquez or Dr. S, I've come to respond to many versions of my name!
I have a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Sociology (hence the title Dr. before my name) and I’m originally from Turkey. I have married into a Chicano family, which puts me in close contact with the Mexican-American culture, now a cherished part of my identity. I have 6-year-old twins and a 2-year old Border Collie, Messi! So, when I'm not teaching, I have my hands full with a lot of cuteness 😁
I have published a book about violence against women in Turkey and how that's talked about on daytime talk shows. You can find my book here and the SRJC library also holds a copy!
Recently, I've created a website about my ancestors who have been exiled from their homes in the Caucasus.
To learn more about my educational, professional and personal journey, see here. And here is my full resume.
Fall 2012- present: Santa Rosa Junior College, Behavioral Sciences Department, Full-time Sociology Instructor
Courses Taught (face-to-face and online): Introduction to Sociology, Modern Social Problems, Race and Ethnic Relations, Close Relationships and Family Life
Spring 2010: Regis University, Denver CO, Sociology Department, Adjunct Faculty
Courses Taught: Social Problems, Mass Media in a Global World
Fall 2009- Spring 2012: Metropolitan State College of Denver, Denver CO, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Behavioral Science, Affiliate Faculty
Courses Taught (face-to-face and online): Introduction to Sociology, Family in Transition, Current Social Issues, Mass Media and Social
Behavior, Gender in the Middle East, Prejudice and Discrimination, Gender and Society, Politics and Power
Fall 2009: Community College of Aurora, Aurora CO, Social Sciences Division, Adjunct Faculty
Courses Taught: Introduction to Sociology
Fall 2008- Spring 2009: Gainesville State College, Watkinsville GA, Social Sciences Division, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Courses Taught: Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems
Fall 2007: Emory University, Atlanta GA, Sociology Department, Visiting Faculty
Course Taught: Social Problems of Modern Societies
2004- 2005: University of California, San Francisco, Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute, Executive Assistant to the Director
Kept Director’s schedule, arranged faculty meetings, scheduled dissertation meetings/defenses for graduate students, kept an updated list of the Director’s publications, conference presentations, lectures and other professional activities. Compiled Director’s academic review file. Kept minutes in departmental meetings.
2003- 2004: American University, School of Public Affairs, Washington D.C., Research Assistant
Project title: “Minority Representation in Democratic Countries”
Investigated election procedures in European countries. Corresponded in German and French with public officials. Translated documents in French and German into English. Produced excel tables for the ethnic make-up of European parliaments.
2001- 2003: Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations, New York, Administrative and Research Assistant
Summarized and translated United Nations documents into Turkish. Attended various UN meetings. Researched issues regarding advancement of women, human rights, African development and the Middle East peace process.
Teaching and Learning Workshops
Fall '20- Spring '21: Stanford University EPIC Community College Faculty Fellowship. Year-long teaching fellowship at Stanford University.
Spring 2021: Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning Course, California Virtual Campus Online Network of Educators
Spring 2021: Equity & Culturally Responsive Online Teaching Course, California Virtual Campus Online Network of Educators
Fall 2017-Fall 2019: Race, Inequality, Language and Education (RILE) Conference, Stanford University
Summer 2019: Knapsack Institute, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Fall 2018: Equity Summit, Skyline College
Professional Activities and Service
2017- ongoing: Coordinator of the Women’s History Month Calendar, Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC)
Fall 2018: Member of the Academic Senate, SRJC
2016- 2018: Sustainability Committee Member, SRJC
2014-2016: District Online Committee Member, SRJC
2014-ongoing: Sociology Circle (SRJC’s Sociology Club) faculty advisor, SRJC
2012 –ongoing: Several search committees, tenure and adjunct faculty evaluation committees, SRJC
2006-2007: Domestic Violence Crisis Line and Outreach Volunteer at WOMAN, Inc., San Francisco, California Domestic Violence Certification Training completed in June
2004- ongoing: Member of the American Sociological Association
Peer-Reviewed Books
2015, “Women and Cultural Citizenship in Turkey: Mass Media and ‘Woman’s Voice’ Television,” London: I.B. Tauris. My talk on the book can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFECxsRbvL4&t=1s
Peer-Reviewed Articles and Book Chapters
2018, “Medya, İletişim ve Antropoloji” (“Media, Communications, and Anthropology”). In Kültür Denen Şey: Antropolojik Yaklaşımlar (The Thing Called Culture: Anthropological Approaches), ed. Cenk Ozbay and Ayfer Bartu Candan, Istanbul. Metis, 283-305.
2013, “Boundary Work in an Era of Transformation: Television, Taste and Distinction in Turkey,”International Journal of Communication, Vol. 7. Available at: https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/938
2011, “Public sphere and symbolic power: ‘Woman’s Voice’ as a case of cultural citizenship,” Cultural Sociology 5 (2), 281-299.
2005, “Veiling as identity politics: The case of Turkey.” Discourse of Sociological Practice 7 (1-2), 295-308.
Other Academic Projects
The "Home Within" Project: Exile from Caucasus. Available at: https://sites.google.com/view/circassianexile/home You may find the Ottoman History Podcast interview with me here: https://www.ottomanhistorypodcast.com/2021/09/circassian.html
Presentations/Conferences
Women's History Month Talk, Santa Rosa Junior College, CA, 2022, "'Circassian Beauty': At the Intersection of the Social Construction of Whiteness, Sexism, and Orientalism." Available at: https://www.3cmediasolutions.org/privid/377425?key=515ee1199d7138e05d43563eff4e44f5cc3899a4
EPIC Symposium, Stanford University, CA, 2021. "Exile from the Caucasus: An 'EPIC' Digital History Project. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7HRNOGGlAk
PDA Day, Santa Rosa Junior College, CA, Fall 2021. "Go Beyond Canvas! Teaching an Equitable and Humanized Online Course"
Arts & Lectures/ Women’s History Month Talk, Santa Rosa Junior College, CA, 2017, “Violence Against Women: A Case Study of Turkey.” Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFECxsRbvL4, 2017
Annual Meeting of the California Sociological Association, Berkeley, CA, 2013, “Gezi, Occupy and The Arab Spring: Advantages and Fault Lines of New Technologies during Protest Movements.”
Annual Meeting of the Middle East Studies Association, Denver CO, “Hegemony and Neoliberal Populism in Turkey: An Analysis of Justice and Development Party’s Rhetoric and Policies” (with Dr. Mehmet Sinan Birdal), 2012
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, New Orleans, LA, Poster presentation: “Neoliberalism and Neopopulism in Turkey: The Political Economy of Religion,” 2012
Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, GA, ASA Section on Political Sociology Paper Session: Gender Equality and Democratic Development, “Cultural Citizenship and the Notion of ‘Politics:’ ‘Woman’s Voice’ as a Case Study,” 2010
Faculty Colloquium, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Behavioral Science, 2009, “Is Anybody Listening? ‘Woman’s Voice’ and Public Sphere in Turkey”
Intersections Film Festival (IFF), University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 2009. Invited discussant for the film “Bliss.”
Invited Talk for Women’s History Month, Gainesville State College, GA, 2009. “Women, Modernization and Honor: The Case of Turkey”
Professional Development Workshop, Gainesville State College, GA. 2008. “Domestic Violence from a Global Perspective: Cases of Turkey and Guyana” with Prof. George Danns
Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, New York City, 2007. “Is Anybody Listening? ‘Woman’s Voice’ and Public Sphere in Turkey”
Fifth Annual Meeting of the Cultural Studies Association (U.S.), Portland State University, Portland. 2007. “Media, Gender and Class: Prospects for Social Change in Turkey.”
37th World Congress of the International Institute of Sociology, Stockholm, Sweden. 2005. “Globalization, Mass Media and Democracy: The Case of Turkey.”
Kimlik ve Kültür Sempozyumu (Identity and Culture Symposium), Istanbul, Turkey. 2005. “Kimlikler ve Medya: 1990 Sonrası Türkiye’nin Değişen Çehresi” (“Identities and Media: The Changing Face of Turkey after 1990”).
Social Theory Forum, University of Massachusetts, Boston. 2005. “Veiling as Identity Politics: The Case of Turkey”
Critical Themes in Media Studies. 2004. The New School for Social Research. "How to Approach the Media: The Significance of Medium Theory”
Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, San Francisco. 2004. “The Public and the Private Spheres: Veiling in Turkey”
Politics of Language Conference, The New School for Social Research. 2003. “Imagined Communities: Turkey's Language Revolution and Nationalism”