Dustin Kidd, PhD (he/him), is a professor of sociology at Temple University and a nationally recognized expert on popular culture. His research explores how media—ranging from film, television, and fiction to social media, comics, video games, and music—both reflect and challenge social inequalities. He is particularly interested in how marginalized communities use media to resist exclusion and advance social change. Dr. Kidd is the author of Social Media Freaks, Pop Culture Freaks, and Legislating Creativity, and he regularly provides talks and media commentary on culture, identity, and the politics of representation. His current work centers on the narratives of disability in pop culture, social media, and public policy.

Dr. Kidd serves as the Director of General Education in the Office of Undergraduate Studies at Temple University. He has previously held several key leadership roles, including Chair of the Department of Sociology, Director of the Intellectual Heritage Program, Director of Graduate Studies in Sociology, and Director of Assessment for the College of Liberal Arts.

In addition to his tenured position in the Department of Sociology, Dr. Kidd is affiliated with multiple interdisciplinary programs: Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies; American Studies; Intellectual Heritage; the Institute on Disabilities; and Media Studies and Production. His cross-college involvement reflects his commitment to boundary-crossing scholarship and inclusive pedagogy.

He holds a BA in Philosophy and Religion from James Madison University, an MA in English and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Virginia, and graduate certificates in American Studies, Disability Studies, and Organizational Leadership. He is currently pursuing an MBA at Temple University.

Dr. Kidd has been honored with the prestigious Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, the College of Liberal Arts Teaching Award, and the Faculty Senate Award for Outstanding Faculty Service. He is a graduate of the Temple Leadership Academy and the Provost’s Teaching Academy.