Ana-Maria Wahl joined the Department of Sociology at Wake Forest as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2002.

She completed her undergraduate degree at Creighton University and her M.A and Ph.D. at Indiana University. She has been teaching for last few years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Dr. Wahl's research focuses on several dimensions of social stratification and the politics of inequality. This work includes research on labor relations and race relations. In the area of labor relations, Dr. Wahl has studied the politics of health and safety legislation with a recent emphasis on the conditions facing Latino workers in the meat packing industry. In the area of race relations, Dr. Wahl is currently working on a project that examines housing discrimination and racial disparities in home ownership. Finally, a global perspective that recognizes the systems of inequality that cut across nation-states frames all of this work.

Dr. Wahl has taught a wide range of courses that reflect her research interests as well her committment to integrate both service learning and research with the substantive work covered in her courses. Specifically, these courses include: principles of sociology, social stratification, race and ethnic relations, sociology of work, social problems, comparative international development, political sociology and a course called Doing Sociology. In all of these courses, students are introduced to the principles of social research and the opportunities for social activism that coursework in sociology prepares us to pursue.

All of this work is guided by the belief that each of us plays a part in this larger phenomena we call history. Sociology provides a way to understand the "big picture" that shapes our lives and the lives of others underrepresented at universities like Wake. Dr. Wahl's research, teaching and service will hopefully encourage you to explore the sociological perspective and bring this perspective to all the work you do.