Dr. Deidre Hill Butler's research centers on the Sociology of Black Women’s Culture, particularly as a Sociologist of Black Joy. Specializing in Womanist ethnography, she examines resistance to anti-Black racism and Misogynoir, driven by a deep curiosity about Black women’s ways of knowing and reimagining. Her interests span Afrofuturism, Archival Methods & Exhibits, and Applied Sociology, especially within Black Diaspora Studies and Black Feminist Geographies. She also delves into Black Theatre Studies and Culturally Responsive Education. Through these diverse lenses, Dr. Hill Butler explores themes of womanist care, wellness, kinship, and cultural identity, often integrating her expertise in public theology and womanist leadership to illuminate the experiences and resilience of Black women.
Dr. Deidre Hill Butler's teaching interests span a diverse range of sociological topics, deeply informed by her expertise in Black Women's Culture and global experiences. She has taught both domestically and internationally, leading courses such as Black Irish Feminist Subjectivities at the University of Galway and contributing to Homecoming: Case Studies of Black Americans Returning to Africa in Senegal. Her regularly taught courses include the Sociology of Black Religious Experiences, Political Sociology: Black Freedom Studies, and Sociology of the American Family: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, reflecting her commitment to critical analysis of social structures and identities. Dr. Hill Butler also instructs foundational courses like Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Africana Studies, and Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, nurturing new generations of scholars. Her pedagogical approach encourages students to explore social identities, historical thought, and engage with real-world issues through seminars and thesis advising, including her work on Seward Scholar Projects.
Professor Deidre Hill Butler was the first Black woman on the teaching faculty to earn tenure and the first Black woman to earn the rank of Full Professor.
Dr. Deidre Hill Butler is a highly impactful Community and Campus Catalyst, deeply committed to fostering equity and inclusion across various spheres. At Union College, she holds the distinction of being the first Black woman on the teaching faculty to earn tenure and the first Black woman to earn the rank of Full Professor. She was an inaugural member of former President David Harris' President’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging team, serving as Director of Faculty Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging / Academic Diversity Officer. In this pivotal role, she significantly contributed to faculty recruitment and retention while chairing the influential History and Symbols Committee. On campus, she co-founded and actively champions key initiatives like the BIPOC Employee Alliance, the Union Coalition for Inclusiveness and Diversity (UCID), and the Women of Color Collective. She also acts as a dedicated advocate for the UNITAS Faculty & Staff Resource Group and as Faculty Advisor for the Multicultural Greek Council.
Beyond the college gates, Professor Hill Butler extends her catalytic work into the wider community. She is a dedicated board member and serves on the personnel committee at Safe Inc., an emergency shelter aiding homeless and runaway youth in the Capital District. Her commitment to local engagement is evident through her regular volunteering and as a Muse for the Schenectady Working Group for Girls (2011-2014 & 2023-present). She is an Executive Committee member for the Schenectady Branch of the NAACP. A respected spiritual leader, she is President of the Zion Women Rock ministry at Duryee Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Schenectady’s oldest Black Church. Professor Hill Butler is a Life Member of the Association of Black Women Historians and a long-standing member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (since 1990), currently active with its Delta Mu Omega Graduate Chapter. She is also a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, the Sociology Honors Society, the Capital Region Professional Women of Color group, and a former member of the Greater Albany Chapter of Jack and Jill of America (2016-2024) and Schenectady Silhouettes (2014-2019). Notably, she was elected Chair of the Feminist Mothering Caucus, a National Women's Studies Association Constituency Group, from 2017 to 2019.
