Pelgy Vaz, Ph.D.
Professor
Pelgy Vaz received her Ph.D
in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1984.
Her area of specialization is Cross-cultural and International.
Dr. Vaz teaches a number of courses for the Cross-cultural, Life-Issues
Emphasis and the Ethnic Studies Program offered by the department.
Comparative Societies and Culture (the course examines social
structures, social processes and social life of people coming
from different world regions), U.S. Racial and Ethnic Groups (Comparative
perspective with emphasis on U.S. multiethnic and multicultural
relations), Microsociology (analysis of the influence of social
factors on the individual), Modern Social Problems (a sociological
analysis of many of the major social problems in the U.S., such
as inequality, power and sexism) and Sociology of Aging (examines
the status of the elderly in contemporary society).
Dr. Vaz and Dr. Campbell are working
on a project called "Ethnic Monitoring and Advocacy Project." This
project is sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Social Work.
The purpose of the project is to examine the adjustments made by
rural communities in Western Kansas for diverse populations and
to monitor and advocate for this group. Data has been collected
from Garden City with reference to the Hispanic community. Law enforcement
agents, city officials and ethnic leaders were interviewed. Census
data on the historic presence of diversity in Western Kansas, data
on bilingual programs in schools, and the type of adjustments made
by retail businesses in food and health products are collected.