Alessandra Early, M.A
Expertise: gender and Sexuality, Endarkened Feminist Theory, Pleasure Activism, Race, Space, and Identity Formation, Drugs and Behavior, Gender, the Criminal Justice System, and Healthcare, Critical Queer and Transgender Studies, Narrative Criminology, Qualitative methodologies
Alessandra’s research explores the socio-spatial dynamics of identity formation in the LGBTQIA+ community, investigating how space shapes identity and behavior in the navigation of recreational substances, race, and how the interviewees define and (re)define their identities. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In addition to her doctoral work, Alessandra is currently on a research team tracking and monitoring how prisons across the country are managing Covid-19 challenges. Most recently, she was awarded an honorable mention for the 2020 Larry J. Siegel Graduate Fellowship for the Study of Gender and Crime from the Division on Women and Crime, in recognition of her critical doctoral research.