Dr. David G. LoConto

Contact Information

Office: Science Hall 287
Email:  dloconto@nmsu.edu

Curriculum Vitae  

Education

Ph.D. – Oklahoma State University, 1999
M.S. – Oklahoma State University, 1995
B.A. – Humboldt State University, 1993

Background

I have benefited from the opportunities to study a wide variety of social phenomena. I have conducted research and published on people with developmental disabilities; bereavement; race/ethnicity, as well as early American sociological thought. Currently I am focusing more of my time on popular culture topics. I approach social phenomena from a social psychological perspective, specifically that of pragmatism blended with realism. As I approach the twilight of my career, I am focusing more on research that I find ‘fun’ and that will blend some of my ‘off-work’ interests with my career. After a few years of focusing more on administrative duties, I am jumping in with these new projects.

Research

My main focus now involves various elements of Star Trek. The initial research is and has been based on the fandom of the Star Trek franchise. The focus of this work is social psychological, focusing on social movements and identity. I published a book, “Social Movements and the Collective Identity of the Star Trek Fandom: Boldly Going Where No Fans Have Gone Before” through Lexington Books – Rowman & Littlefield. This was released on March 10, 2020. Currently, I am continuing this research doing historical and content analyses on various aspects of the Star Trek fandom. Much of the research continues to focus on social movements and collective identity. However, a current book that I am working on, which should be finished by the Fall of 2022 addresses authenticity and collective memory as it applies to the Star Trek fandom. I expect the Star Trek research will continue for the next 10-years or more. 

I am finishing up a social theory textbook, “The Story of Sociological Theory: Contextualizing Social Thinkers” for Cognella Publishing. That will be released in the Spring of 2022. In 2019 the second edition to my Introduction to Sociology textbook, “Sociology and Thinking Critically: An Introduction,” by Green River Technologies. I am especially pleased that I added two new chapters in that textbook, one on living in a post-fact world, and the other on popular culture. 

And while I delve into random topics here and there, I am also working with my colleague, David Ortiz addressing morality and identity in animated series.