Tressie McMillan Cottom
Tressie McMillan Cottom is an American author, sociologist, and media scholar who is known for her work on race, class, gender, higher education, and digital sociology. Her works explore and explain topics such as the labor market, postsecondary education, and the digital world. Through her research, Cottom has uncovered new understandings of how race and class intersect to create stratified opportunities and outcomes in the United States.
Cottom was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina in 2002, and a master’s degree in sociology from Georgia State University in 2006. She received her doctorate in sociology and social policy from Princeton University in 2010.
Cottom’s first book, Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy, was published in 2017. In the book, Cottom examines the rise of for-profit colleges and examines how they have filled a void in postsecondary education by offering a "lower education" to those not served in the traditional higher education system. Cottom's analysis shows how race and class intersect to create educational opportunities for those left out of traditional higher education and how the system of for-profit colleges often leave their students with heavy debt and uncertain prospects.
Cottom’s second book, Thick: And Other Essays, was published in 2018. In the book, Cottom turns to more personal topics, including her daughter’s diagnosis with a genetic disorder and her struggles to find proper care, her relationships with her family of origin and her chosen family, and her journey to a Black Liberation theology. With both compassion and candor, Cottom investigates how intersectional identities offer a strength in navigating society while also revealing the reality of raced, classed, and gendered limitations in the United States.
Cottom’s third book, Thicker Than Water: Essays on the Meaning of Family, was released in 2020. The book is a collection of essays about family connections and the meaning of family that cross racial, class, geographic, and cultural boundaries. Structured around the five “comforts” of family life — connection, celebration, defense, solace, and love — Cottom's book demonstrates how family relationships are ever-evolving and show how love is constantly re-negotiated to create meaning in our lives.
Cottom is a sought-after speaker and has delivered talks at a variety of universities, including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Virginia. She frequently appears on television and radio programs and has appeared as a guest on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. She currently serves as a professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University and an assistant professor of sociology at Emory University.
In 2020, Cottom was awarded the MacArthur Fellows Program, often referred to as the “genius grant.” The award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional creativity and promise for important future accomplishments. Through her research, writing, and public engagement, Tressie McMillan Cottom continues to create an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the intersections of race, class, gender, higher education, and digital sociology.
