For the first Who's Who Wednesday of 2023, we're featuring Dr. Barbara Zaitzow, professor of criminal justice in the Appalachian State Department of Government and Justice Studies (GJS) and a member of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (CJHPS) Faculty Advisory Board.
Zaitzow earned her B.A. in Sociology from San Diego State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Virginia Tech. She joined App State GJS as a lecturer and went on to become an assistant professor the following semester. In 2005, Zaitzow was promoted to full professor. Throughout her 28 years at App State, Zaitzow has taught a variety of criminal justice courses, including "Corrections," "Introduction to Criminal Justice," and "Crime and Culture." She has received the College of Arts and Sciences' Richard N. Henson Outstanding Advisor Award and has been inducted into the Academy of Outstanding Teachers.
Zaitzow conducts research projects in men’s and women’s prisons and has been involved in local, state and (inter)national advocacy work for prisoners, socially disadvantaged and voiceless populations and organizations that seek to promote positive reforms for human and animal rights. Zaitzow has served on various editorial boards for nationally-recognized journals and is co-editor and co-author of two books, "Women in Prison: Gender and Social Control" and "Perspectives: Corrections." She has published numerous journal articles and book chapters and spoken to various groups and the media on a variety of prison-related topics including the health-related challenges of justice-involved people, the impact of prison culture on the “doing time” experiences of the imprisoned and family members, and advocating for legislative changes related to the death penalty, wrongful conviction, (virtual) "life without parole" sentences and the need for alternatives to imprisonment. Her passion for and work to promote social justice in all spheres of social life informs her teaching, research and service, efforts that, she hopes, have positively impacted the lives of people and animals in all communities near and far.
Zaitzow has been a member of the CJHPS Faculty Advisory Board since 2007. She taught the initial Fall 2021 pilot course for the exchange program established between App State and Western Galilee College in Israel and continues her collaboration with those in Israel for her Spring 2023 semester course along with other projects with faculty and students from North Carolina, Israel, Finland and other educational institutions and agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
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About the Department of Government and Justice Studies
Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies offers undergraduate programs in political science and criminal justice, and graduate programs in political science and public administration. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the department has over 600 undergraduate majors and more than 70 graduate students. Learn more at https://gjs.appstate.edu.
About the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies
Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies was founded in 2002 to develop new educational opportunities for students, teachers and the community. Located administratively within the College of Arts and Sciences, the center seeks to strengthen tolerance, understanding and remembrance by increasing the knowledge of Jewish culture and history, teaching the history and meaning of the Holocaust, and utilizing these experiences to explore peaceful avenues for human improvement and the prevention of further genocides. The Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies is an associate institutional member of the Association of Jewish Studies, a member of the Association of Holocaust Organizations and a member of the North Carolina Consortium of Jewish Studies. Learn more at https://holocaust.appstate.edu.
Dr. Barbara Zaitzow, professor of criminal justice in the Appalachian State Department of Government and Justice Studies (GJS) and a member of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (CJHPS) Faculty Advisory Board.
Dr. Barbara Zaitzow, professor of criminal justice in the Appalachian State Department of Government and Justice Studies (GJS) and a member of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (CJHPS) Faculty Advisory Board.