Our Faculty
Curtiss Paul DeYoung
Department Co-chair
Professor of Reconciliation Studies
c-deyoung@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 1989
Education: B.A. in Religious Studies, Anderson University; M. Div., Howard University School of Divinity; Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, University of St. Thomas
Areas of expertise: Reconciliation, social justice, multicultural interpretations of the Bible, multiracial congregations, urban, racism, interfaith peacemaking, Israel/Palestine conflict, South Africa.
Harley Schreck
Department Co-chair
Professor of Anthropology
h-schreck@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 1988
Education: B.A. in Mathematics, University of Idaho; M.A. in Anthropology, University of Montana; Ph.D. in Anthropology, University of Washington
Areas of expertise: Schreck is an anthropologist who previously worked with World Vision, an international Christian aid and development agency. He teaches courses in Amsterdam and India and often involves students in his research in Northeast Minneapolis, which looks at urban change and social capital. He is also co-director of the Masters of Arts in Gerontology program at Bethel.
James P. Hurd
Professor of Anthropology, Emeritus
hurd@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 1982
Education: Diploma, Moody Bible Institute; B.A. in Anthropology, Cal-State Fullerton; Ph.D. in Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
Areas of expertise: Cross-cultural Christianity, Amish and Mennonite culture, sociobiology, Latin America, demography, physical anthropology, concepts of community.
Andrew Odubote
Assistant Professor of Sociology
b-odubote@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 2006
Education: B.S. in Sociology, University of Jos, Nigeria; M.S. in Sociology, University of Jos, Nigeria; Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Areas of expertise: Crime and criminal justice, delinquency, race, sociology of family, quantitative research methods
Naomi Ludeman Smith
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies, Director of First-Year Program
n-smith@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 1985
Education: B.A. in Communications and Literature, Bethel University; M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Bethel University; M.A.(T.S.), Bethel Seminary; D.Min. in Global and Contextual Studies, Bethel Seminary
Areas of expertise: Ludeman Smith’s interests include interfaith relationships, worldview and intercultural competence development, cross-cultural ministry and partnerships, diffusion of change, change agency and designing and implementing cross-cultural, transformational experiences.
She is also a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory and conducts intercultural competence development and StrengthsFinder training for various domestic and international organizations.
Samuel Zalanga
Professor of Sociology
szalanga@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 2000
Education: B.S. in Sociology, Bayero University, Nigeria; M.S. in Sociology, Bayero University, Nigeria; M.S.C. University of Jos, Nigeria; Ph.D., University of Minnesota.
Areas of expertise: Zalanga’s doctoral fieldwork focused on the comparative role of ruling elite coalitions in development policy formulation and implementation in Malaysia and Nigeria. He specifically studied the process and politics of neoliberal economic reforms and implementation.
Zalanga grew up in the northeastern region of Nigeria and brings an international and interdisciplinary perspective to the department.
Ning Zhang
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
nzhang@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel in 2008
Education: B.A. in English, Renmin University, Beijing; Ph.D. in Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh
Areas of expertise: Globalization and transnationalization, grassroots movement, social and culture change, social network and urban community development.
