Manuel Pastor

Sociologist Manuel Pastor will explore what California’s shifting demographics and widening economic gap mean for the future of higher education in the state, during a special presentation on Monday, April 21, at California State University, Northridge.

Pastor, a professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California, will give the spring 2014 lecture of CSUN’s “Dialogues with the Provost” speaker series. The lecture will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Recital Hall of Cypress Hall at the southwest corner of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

Chicana/o studies professor Juana Mora said several CSUN faculty members attended a conference last fall where Pastor gave a keynote address on California’s changing demographics and the future economic stability of the state

“The conference focused on demographic change and leadership, embedding a culture of equity, effectiveness and excellence, rethinking remediation, using data to track student success and developing an identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution,” said Mora, who serves as assistant to the provost on Hispanic Serving Institutions and Diversity Initiatives. “We were impressed with his presentation and thought CSUN could benefit from what he had to say. I think his visit will help the campus consider the implications of California’s changing demographics, California’s workforce needs and our role as a major institution of higher education in the region.”

Pastor directs the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity and co-directs the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at USC.

Pastor’s research focuses on the economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income communities. His more recent book, “Just Growth: Inclusion and Prosperity in America’s Metropolitan Regions,” argues that growth and equity can and should be linked. He also co-authored “This Could Be the Start of Something Big: How Social Movements for Regional Equity are Transforming Metropolitan America.”

In 2012, the Liberty Hill Foundation awarded Pastor the Wally Marks Changemaker of the Year honor for social justice research partnerships.

While Pastor’s speech is free and open to the pubic, seating is limited. To make a reservation, email linda.noblejas@csun.edu.

College of Humanities, Office of the Provost