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A smiling man in a short-sleeved red shirt stands outdoors, leaning against a black lamppost with arms crossed. A brick building with large windows is in the background, along with trees and greenery.

The campus community is very welcoming and is a place where people can come together and learn from each other no matter their differences.

Zachary Palmer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

  • Faculty
Sociology and Criminal Justice
Contact Zachary
Office
McDowell Administration Building 102F
Related Majors
Related Department
Sociology and Criminal Justice
Hometown
Kirksville, MO
College Major
Sociology
Year Graduated
2019
Curriculum Vitae

Zachary Palmer has always been interested in how society shapes people. He found sociology to be a great field to answer big questions like ‘how do power and privilege operate in society?' as well as more idiosyncratic questions like ‘why do some adult men love My Little Pony?' He is always interested in the ‘weird' and the ‘why' and loves to share the joy of sociology with students.

A Conversation with Dr. Palmer

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending East Texas A&M?

A&M-Commerce is a university that offers a unique learning experience. The campus community is very welcoming and is a place where people from all ages and backgrounds can come together and learn from each other.

What draws you to your discipline?

In Invitation to Sociology, Peter Berger writes that the most important characteristic needed to be a good sociologist is curiosity, describing sociology as an outgrowth of the desire to look inside the windows of other people's houses to find out what is going on inside. While I'm not that nosy, I've definitely always had that sense of curiosity about other people. Many of my research projects begin with me thinking that something is “weird” and wanting to learn more. The great thing about sociology is that it covers such a wide range of topics, it's a field where there really is something for anyone and it's hard to imagine ever getting bored with it.

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., Sociology, Purdue University, 2019
  • M.A., Sociology, Ball State University, 2014
  • B.S., Sociology, Truman State University, 2012

Academic Positions

  • Program Coordinator, Gender Studies, East Texas A&M University, 2025-Present
  • Associate Professor, Sociology and Criminal Justice, East Texas A&M University, 2023-Present
  • Graduate Coordinator, Sociology, Texas A&M University-Commerce (now East Texas A&M University), 2021-2023
  • Assistant Professor, Sociology and Criminal Justice, Texas A&M University-Commerce (now East Texas A&M University), 2019-2023

Research Interests

  • Gender and masculinities
  • Social Inequalities
  • Social Movements

Professional Organizations

  • American Sociological Association
  • Sociologists for Women in Society
  • Southern Sociological Society
  • Alpha Kappa Delta

SOC1301 Introduction to Sociology

SOC 312 Sociology of Gender

SOC 370 Racial and Ethnic Diversity

SOC 436 Sociological Theory

Selected Publications

  • Palmer, Zachary D. 2023. “Moderating Masculinity in Women-Dominated Digital Spaces: Men and Masculinity in the The Sims 4 Online Community.” Sociology Compass
  • Palmer, Zachary D. 2023. “‘I Don't Like to Separate Myself by Gender': How Women Navigate Hybrid Masculinities in the Brony Community.” Journal of Gender Studies.
  • Palmer, Zachary D. 2022. “‘I'm Going to Love and Tolerate the Shit Out of You': Hybrid Masculinities in the Brony Community.” Men and Masculinities
  • Rochford, Elle and Zachary D. Palmer. 2022. “Trans TikTok: Sharing Information and Forming Community” in TikTok Cultures in the United States, ed. Trevor Boffone. Lordon, UK: Routledge.
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