Nicole M. Butkovich Kraus, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Office: Old Main 427
Email: nkraus@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-3623
Professional Profile
Dr. Kraus joined the Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work in 2020. She received her Ph.D. and M.S. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an emphasis in social stratification and racial and ethnic theory. She also received a Ph.D. minor certificate from the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia from UW-Madison as well as a certificate from Meždunarodnyj Universitet v Moskve, Moscow, Russia. Dr. Kraus earned her B.A. in history, honors, and B.A. in sociology, honors, from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Prior to her arrival at WT, Dr. Kraus was an assistant professor of sociology at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ. There she was part of the Newark Data Group developing “Be Heard Newark” in conjunction with the Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies, in cooperation with colleagues across political science, education, and Global Urban Studies.
Teaching and Related Service
Dr. Kraus has taught a wide variety of sociology courses and has received several teaching awards. Dr. Kraus is devoted to student learning and applies a mixture of excitement and fascination with sociological inquiry alongside high expectations for student effort and learning. She has taught Statistics for sociologists, Research methods, Sociological theory, Class Inequality/Social Stratification, the Sociology of Gender, Race and Ethnicity, the Sociology of Religion, and is working to develop additional upper division courses on Sport, Education, Nationalism, and Culture.
Research and Creative Activity
Dr. Kraus’s research interests focus on xenophobia and prejudice, social stratification, race, class, and gender, migration and globalization, quantitative research methods, social theory, and the Russian Federation, Eastern and Central Europe, and Central Asia. She is currently working on projects related to xenophobic attitudes in Russia, gender and nationalism, and education and mobility, as well as several different Panhandle-specific research projects with outstanding sociology undergraduates.