EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Sociology, Columbia University, 2003.
“From ‘Flash’ to ‘Cash’: Producing Rap Authenticity, 1979 to 1995.”
Peter S. Bearman (sponsor), Harrison C. White (chair), Priscilla Ferguson, Sudhir Venkatesh, Richard Peterson (Vanderbilt University).
M.Phil. in Sociology, Columbia University, 1999.
Exams in Culture, Theory, Methodology and French Language.
M.A. in Sociology, Columbia University, 1999.
B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology (Honors) and English, Colgate University, 1996.
Honors Thesis: “The Limits of Wealth: Social Action Against the Roman Catholic Church by Women.”
Rhonda Levine (chair), Adam Weinberg.
EMPLOYMENT
Assistant Professor, Sociology Department, Vanderbilt University, 2003-present.
Affiliated Faculty in American Studies Program, the Center for Ethics, and the Curb Center for Arts, Enterprise and Public Policy.
Visiting Fellow, Center for Arts and Public Policy, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University. 2007-2008.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Nominated, Secretary-Treasurer, American Sociological Association, Section on the Sociology of Culture, 2007.
Nominated to Section Council, American Sociological Association, Section on the Sociology of Culture, 2006.
Alternate Fellow, Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities, Vanderbilt University, 2006-07.
Gamma Beta Phi Society, Vanderbilt Chapter Faculty Celebration, 2004.
Chi Omega Sorority, “Apple Polishing” Celebration of Outstanding Faculty, 2004 & 2005.
Black and Gold Banquet Celebrant, Vanderbilt University Student Athlete Advisory Committee, 2003-07.
Dissertation Fellow, Sociology Department, Columbia University, 2000-03.
Inaugural resident scholar, Young Scholar Series, “Hip Hop America: Roots, Rhythm and Rage,” Brooklyn Museum of Art, Sep.-Dec. 2000.
Fellow, Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University, 1999-2001.
Cornerhouse Fund Travel Grant, Sociology Department, Columbia University, 1997-2001.
Competitive travel award for academic conferences.
RESEARCH
Articles in Refereed Journals
Lena, Jennifer C. and Richard A. Peterson. Revise and Resubmit. “Resources and Phases in Music Genre Development.”
Lena, Jennifer C. Forthcoming. “Voyeurism, Authenticity and the Gaze: Rap Music Videos as Cultural Tourism.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies.
Lena, Jennifer C. 2007. “Measures of Diversity: Lessons from Rap Music, 1979-1995.” Studi Culturali. Vol. 1: 137-160.
Lena, Jennifer C. 2006. “Social Context and Musical Content: Rap Music, 1979-1995.” Social Forces. Vol. 85 (1): 479-495.
Lena, Jennifer C. 2004. “Meaning and Membership: Samples in Rap Music, 1979 to 1995.” Poetics. Vol. 32, No. 3-4, pp. 297-310.
Lena, Jennifer C. 2003. “Psyops, Propaganda and Gangsta Rap: Why is Saddam Hussein rapping for the CIA?” Radical Society. Vol. 30, No.1, pp. 25-30.
Schindler, Amy and Jennifer Carroll Lena. 2000. “Promise Keepers in Perspective: Organizational Characteristics and Men’s Religious Movements.” Pp. 209-224 in Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion. Volume 11. Edited by Joanne Marie Greer and David O. Moberg. Stamford, Connecticut: JAI Press, Inc.
Book Chapters
Lena, Jennifer C. and Daniel B. Cornfield. Forthcoming. “Immigrant Arts Participation in Nashville.” In Engaging Art: The Next Great Transformation of America’s Cultural Life, ed. By William Ivey and Steven Tepper. New York: Routledge.
Book Reviews
Lena, Jennifer C. 2007. Book review of Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge. (By Keith Kahn-Harris. 2007.) American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 113 (3).
Lena, Jennifer C. 2005. Book review of Real Country: Music and Language in Working-Class Culture. (By Aaron A. Fox. Duke University Press. 2004.) American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 111 (2).
Working Papers
“Mapping the Creative Campus.” With Mark Pachucki (Harvard University Department of Sociology) and Steven Tepper (Vanderbilt University, Department of Sociology and Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy).
“Festival City.”
“Press Kits: Surrogate Consumers and Knowledge Frameworks.”
Other Publications
“Rap music has always provided political commentary.” Vanderbilt Hustler. October 24, 2003.
Research Grants Received
Research Scholar Grant for extension of sabbatical. Vanderbilt University, Arts and Sciences, Spring 2008. c. $25,000. Additional top-off monies awarded, May 2007.
Steven A. Wernke, Francisco Estrada Belli, William R. Fowler, Pierre R. Colas and Jennifer C. Lena. Spatial Analysis Research Lab (SARL): An Advanced Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing Facility. Vanderbilt University Discovery Infrastructure Grant. $44,528.24.
Summer Research Grant for “Festival City.” Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University, May-August 2006. $9200 for research assistance, transcription and interview incentives.
Principal Investigator, Mapping Working Group, Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University, March-November 2006. $4000 Faculty Stipend and $5000 grant for data collection and analysis. Additional $1500 for final report preparation.
Research Assistant for Professor Stephanie Pfirman, Department of Environmental Science, Barnard College, Spring, 2002. Survey administration for Mellon Foundation Grant concerning curricular concentrations of women interested in science.
Research Assistant for Professor Peter S. Bearman, Department of Sociology and Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, 2000. Provided general research assistance on a range of projects and initiatives related to Prof. Bearman’s work as the Chair of the Sociology Department at Columbia University and Director of the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy.
Research Assistant for Professor Priscilla P. Ferguson, Department of Sociology, Columbia University, 1999-2000. Assisted with curricular development for a new course on Ethnography and Culture and archival research on cuisine in the United States and France.
Data Collection for Political Science Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Summer, 1998. National Science Foundation Grant.
Research Assistant, Rhode Island Department of Education, Summer, 1994. Content analysis of statewide survey of public school teachers concerning reforms within the school system. Presentation of recommendations to State Legislature and Department of Education task force.
Invited Presentations
Lena, Jennifer C. and Richard A. Peterson. “Classification of Music Types and Trajectories.” Classification in the Arts and Media, Erasmus University, Rotterdam. 18-20 June, 2008.
Peterson, Richard A. and Jennifer C. Lena. “Are Music Genres Viable in Emerging Media Words.” Exploring New Media Worlds: Changing Technologies, Industries, Cultures and Audiences in Global and Historical Context, Texas A&M University. College Station, TX. 29 February-2 March, 2008.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Festival City: Corporate Sponsorship and the Branding of Nashville, TN.” University of Pennsylvania, Department of Sociology, Urban Ethnography Workshop. January 18, 2008.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Social Structure and Compositional Elements: Rap Music as a Pilot Case.” Rutgers University, Department of Sociology, Colloquium Series. October 24, 2007.
Pachucki, Mark, Jennifer C. Lena and Steven Tepper. “Mapping the Creative Campus: Understanding Networks and Social Processes.” Workshop on Health and Social Structure, Harvard University, Department of Sociology, and Department of Health Care Policy, Medical School. September 27, 2007. Presented by Mark Pachucki on our collective behalf.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Festival City: The Ecology of Urban Events and the Festivalization Hypothesis.” Princeton University, Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies. September 27, 2007.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Playing Yourself?: Authenticity, Identity and Cultural Consumption.” Paper to presented at Thinking Outside of the Box: A Series of Lunchtime Talks with a Philosophical Flavor. Nashville Public Library and Vanderbilt University. May 2, 2007.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Richard A. Peterson. “Mapping Music Genre Trajectories.” Plenary Session, Research Network Sociology for the Arts conference of the European Sociological Association, Lueneburg, Germany, March 30, 2007. Professor Peterson presented in my absence.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Resources and Phases in Music Genre Formation.” Paper presented at University of Carolina, Chapel Hill Cultural and Political Sociology Workshop. March 29, 2007.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Social Context and Compositional Elements: Rap Music as a Pilot Case.” Paper presented at University of Carolina, Chapel Hill Sociology Department Colloquium Series. March 30, 2007.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Music Social Movements: Rap.” Paper presented at McGill Hours. October 23, 2006.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Music Social Movements.” Paper presented at the Belmont University Convocation Series. September 28, 2006. $400 stipend.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Richard A. Peterson. “Movement-Made Music.” Paper presentation at the Thematic Session on Social Movements, at the 101st annual meetings of the American Sociological Association, Montreal, Canada, August 10-13, 2006.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Voyeurism, Authenticity and the Gaze: Rap Music Videos as Cultural Tourism.” Featured guest lecture at Vanderbilt University McGill Hall Hours, October 2005.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Voyeurism, Authenticity and the Gaze: Rap Music Videos as Cultural Tourism.” Colloquium lecture delivered to the University of Georgia Workshop on Culture and Institutions, December 2005. $500 stipend.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Social Networks and Identity in Science and the Arts.” Lecture delivered at Mellon Fresh Combinations Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, on Discourse Analysis and Social and Political Thought, Vanderbilt University, June 24, 2005. $850 stipend.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Daniel Cornfield. “Immigrant Arts in Nashville.” Lecture delivered to “Engaging Art: Working Meeting of Authors and Advisors,” Curb Center for Arts, Enterprise and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University. Lecture supported by a grant from the Wallace Foundation. May 6, 2005.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Keepin’ It Real & Getting’ Paid: Commercial Culture and Authenticity in Rap Music.” Keynote speaker at Sociology Majors and Minor’s Association, Vanderbilt University, April 12, 2004.
Lena, Jennifer C.. “Politics and Popular Culture: Music and Election 2004.” Lecture delivered in Humanities 161: Mass Mediated Politics: Images and Issues, Vanderbilt University, March 31, 2004.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Ghettopoly.” Panel respondent at “Knowledge at Noon” Series, Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center, Vanderbilt University, November 13, 2003. $500 stipend.
Lena, Jennifer C.. “Case Making and Breaking: Meaning in Rap Career Sequences.” Keynote speaker at Annual Sociology Symposium, Providence College, April 9, 2002.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Censorship and the Media: Rap Music.” Featured speaker, Columbia University, July 31, 2001.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Workshop for Teachers and Administrators: Rap Music and Our Kids.” Featured guest speaker, Lincoln School for Girls, SEED Group, May, 2000.
Conference Presentations
Lena, Jennifer C. and Jonathan R. Wynn. “Festival City: The Ecology of a Creative City.” Paper presented at the panel on Place, Space, and the Making of Identity, Social Science History Association Conference. Chicago, Il, November 17, 2007. I presented on our behalf.
Lena, Jennifer C. “The Creative Campus: An Emerging Agenda for Higher Education.” Paper presented at the Social Theory, Politics and the Arts. October 11, 2007.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Richard A. Peterson. “Resources and Phases in Music Genre Formation.” Paper presented at the panel on New Trends in the Sociology of the Arts, Culture Section, American Sociological Association Conference. New York City, New York, August 2007. I presented on our behalf.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Diffusion and Sub-genre Formation: Adoption of New Practices in Rap Sampling Networks.” Paper presented at the 31st annual meetings of the Social Science History Association. Minneapolis, November 2-5, 2006.
Wynn, Jonathan R. and Jennifer C. Lena. “’Festival City:’ Preliminary Thoughts on Studying Nashville’s ‘Signature Event.’” Divided Cities: Second Annual Conference of the Berlin-New York Transatlantic Graduate College, Columbia University, New York City. October 5-7, 2006. Professor Wynn presented in my absence.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Daniel B. Cornfield. “Immigrant Arts Participation and Social Capital: A Pilot Study of Nashville Artists.” Paper presented at roundtable on New Latino Immigrant Destinations, Section on International Migration, American Sociological Association Conference. Montreal, Canada, August 2006. Professor Cornfield presented in my absence.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Community Boundaries in Art Genres: The Use of Samples in Rap Music.” Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics Conference, Work on Networks Panel. Budapest, Hungary, June-July 2005.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Racial Tourism in Rap: Voyeurism and Authenticity.” Paper presented at the Experience Music Project Pop Conference. April 2005. Seattle, WA.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Innovation and Public Policy: Commercial Rap Music, 1979-1995.” Paper presented at the Arts and Media Industries Panel, Arts and Cultural Policy Mini-Conference, Eastern Sociological Society. Washington, D.C., March 2005.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Organizing the Dilemma of Innovation: Authenticity in Rap Music.” Paper presented at the Creativity, Innovation and Ideas Session, Sociology of Culture Section, American Sociological Association meetings. San Francisco, August, 2004.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Sonic Networks: Economic, Stylistic and Expressive Dimensions of Rap Music, 1979-1995.” Paper presented at the Sociology of Music Mini-Conference, Emory University. Atlanta, August, 2003.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Why is Saddam Hussein rapping for the CIA?” Paper presented at Society in the Age of Intelligent Machines conference, Buffalo. April 24-27, 2003.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Subcontracting to Absorb Innovation: Rap Music and the Birth of New Musical Genres.” Paper presented at Sociology of Culture Section Panel, American Sociological Association. Anaheim, August 2001.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Postmodern Pathways: Links to Success in the Rap World.” Paper presented at Sociology of Culture Section Roundtables, American Sociological Association annual meetings. Washington, D.C., August 2000.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Rapping Up the Charts: Achievement and Influence Among Rap Artists.” Declined paper presentation at The Culture Society, A New Place for the Arts in the Twenty-First Century. International Sociological Association in conjunction with La Societat de la Cultura. Barcelona, July 2000.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Rap and Relationships: Network Analysis of the Structure of an Art World.” Paper presented at The Cultural Politics of Contemporary Music Panel, Eastern Sociological Society annual meeting. Baltimore, March 2000.
Lena, Jennifer C. “Matching Mobilization Strategies With Elements of Religious Rights Discourse.” Paper presented at Sociology of Religion Refereed Roundtables. American Sociological Association annual meetings. San Francisco, August 1998.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Amy Schindler. “Promise Keepers in Perspective: Organizational Characteristics and Men’s Movements.” Paper presented at Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements Refereed Roundtables, American Sociological Association annual meetings. San Francisco, August 1998.
Lena, Jennifer C. and Hugh F. Lena. “The Limits of Wealth: Social Action Against the Roman Catholic Church by Women.” Paper presented at Sociology of Religion Refereed Roundtables, American Sociological Association annual meetings. Toronto, August, 1997.
Additional Conference Presentations
Chair and Discussant for panel on “Popular Culture.” American Sociological Association meetings. Boston, MA. August, 2008.
Discussant for panel on “Arts and Culture.” Inter-Ivy Sociology Symposium. Princeton University. March 29, 2008.
Chair and Discussant for panel on “Markets of Cultural Consumption.” Social Science History Association annual meetings, Minneapolis, November 2-5, 2006.
Discussant for panel on “Engaging Art: Working Meeting of Authors and Advisors,” Curb Center for Arts, Enterprise and Public Policy, Vanderbilt University and the Wallace Foundation. May 6, 2005.
Arts and Media Industries Panel, Arts and Cultural Policy Mini-Conference, Eastern Sociological Society. Organizer of Panel. March 2005. Washington, D.C.
Presider and Discussant for session on “Changes in Mass Media in a Digital Era.” Section on Communication and Information Technologies Refereed Roundtables, American Sociological Association annual meetings, San Francisco, August, 2004.
Presider and discussant for session on “Cultural Studies.” Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction Annual Meetings, Atlanta, August, 2003.
TEACHING-RELATED ACTIVITIES
Undergraduate Teaching
Vanderbilt University
* Sociology of Culture II: Production and Institutions (SOC 229)
Introduction to Sociology (SOC 101 )
* The Sociology of Hip Hop and Rap Music (SOC 215)
* Popular Culture Dynamics (SOC 248)
* The Social Construction of Hip Hop and Rap Music (SOC 115)
Columbia University
Mass Media and Popular Culture (SOCI S3270)
Evaluation of Evidence (SOCI V1205)
* = New or substantially revised courses
Independent Studies:
Melanie Kowalski, Mark Ferguson, Katherine A. Stone, Cassie Iseman.
Senior Honors Thesis Chair
Mark Ferguson
Senior Honors Thesis Committee Member
April Sutton “Bledsoe County High School: A Case Study of a Rural School in Appalachia,” 25 April 2006 (American Studies)
Arts and Sciences Honors Point Advisor
Heather Benzmiller
Arts and Sciences Vanderbilt University Undergraduate Summer Research Program (VUSRP) sponsor
Melanie Kowalski
Graduate Teaching (Vanderbilt University)
* Survey Seminar in Cultural Sociology (SOC 333)
Graduate Independent Study
Joshua Packard
Dissertation Committee Member (Completed)
Ken Spring, 2006. “The Regularization of Risk in Music Scenes.” (Belmont University)
Steve Lee. 2007. “The Cultural Economy of Prestige: Explaining the Aesthetic Mobility of Cultural Objects.”
Dissertation Committee Chair (Active)
George Sanders, “'Late' Capital: Contemporary American Deathways.”
Dissertation Committee Member (Active)
Joshua Packard, “Resisting Isomorphism: Toward a Complete Theory of Organizational Development.”
Special Area Exam Reader (Completed)
Culture: Steve Lee (2005)
Master’s Paper Committee Member (Completed)
Sarah Glynn
Master’s Paper Committee Member (Active)
Jonathan Cochran
SERVICE
To the Department
Sociology Faculty Recruitment Committee, 2006-2007.
Sociology Department Representative at “One on One with the Profs,” Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority event for undeclared undergraduates, November, 2005.
Undergraduate Program Committee, 2005-6.
Sociology Department Colloquium Committee, 2003-5.
Service at Columbia University
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies, 2002-03.
Coordinator, Graduate Professionalization Seminar, 1999-2001.
To the College and University
Faculty Advisor, Sustained Dialogue at Vanderbilt, 2006-07.
Participant in faculty group on “Teaching the Hard Stuff,” Arts and Science Dean’s Office and Center for Ethics, May and Fall 2006. Also served on the Faculty Focus Group, Spring 2006.
Vanderbilt Community Giving Campaign Allocations Committee, Nominated to serve by the Faculty Senate, Spring 2006, Spring 2007.
Advisory Committee, Project Dialogue, 2004-06.
Scholarship Committee, Ripple in the Pond Award, 2004 & 2005
Additional Activities
Participant in faculty research group, Nashville Study Group, Curb Center for Arts, Enterprise and Public Policy.
Participant in Robert Penn Warren workshop The Seminar on Culture, co-sponsored by the Curb Center for Arts, Enterprise and Public Policy.
Participant in faculty reading group on Hardt and Negri’s Empire. Participants: John Sloop, George Graham, Charles Scott, Susan Schoenbohm, and Brad Vivian.
“Dealing with Sensitive Issues.” Presentation in the Graduate Teaching Seminar, Department of Sociology, Vanderbilt University, February 10, 2005 and February 6, 2007.
“Getting a Job and C.V. Preparation.” Presentation at the Graduate Students’ Brown Bag, Department of Sociology, Vanderbilt University, February 10, 2005 and February 28, 2007.
“How to Ace the Academic Job Interview.” Panelist at GradSTEP Workshop: Graduate Student Teaching Event for Professional Development, Vanderbilt University, January 24, 2004.
To the Profession
Editorial
Committee Member, 2008 Mirra Komarovsky Book Award, Eastern Sociological Association Best Book Prize.
Manuscript Referee (10 journals): American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Gender and Society, Journal of Management Studies, Poetics, Radical Society, Social Forces, Social Problems, Sociological Perspectives, Work and Occupations.
Book Manuscript and Proposal Referee (3 publishers): New York University Press, Princeton University Press, Routledge.
National Science Foundation Referee, 2007.
Peer reviewer, Future of Music Coalition, sample clearance research project, 2007.
Organizational
Organizer, Regular Session, “Popular Culture,” 103rd annual meetings of the American Sociological Association, Boston, 2007-08.
Co-Organizer (with Richard A. Peterson), Open Submission Refereed Roundtables, 100th annual meetings of the American Sociological Association, Philadelphia, 2004-05
Nominations Committee, Sociology of Culture Section of the American Sociological Association, 2004-05.
Memberships
American Sociological Association (Sections on the Sociology of Culture, Historical/Comparative Sociology, and CITSA); Eastern Sociological Association; Society for the Study of Symbolic Interactionism; Social Science History Association.
