Andy DeVos is a Lecturer in the Department of American Studies and an affiliate Lecturer in the Department of Media & Communication Studies. His research interests include the history and sociology of race in the United States, urban studies, the history of Baltimore, popular music and film studies, carceral studies, American religious nationalism and extremism, and media subcultures.
Dr. DeVos proudly hails from a non-traditional background, having spent most of his career outside of academia. Before joining the department in 2022, he served as a public high school art teacher, a technology instructor at a nonpublic high school for students with developmental disabilities, a program administrator at a Baltimore City elementary/middle school, and the leader of a school inside of a maximum security prison in Jessup, Maryland. He is passionate about making academic research accessible to general audiences and periodically offers workshops, articles on popular platforms, and social media content connecting current events to scholarly concepts.
Education
- PhD in Language, Literacy & Culture, UMBC
- MA in Communication, Johns Hopkins University
- BS in Art Education, Towson University
Courses
- AMST 200: What Is an American?
- AMST 358: Hip Hop Culture
- AMST 395: American Music & Culture
- MSC 222: Introduction to Media & Communication Studies
Selected Publications, Presentations, & Media Spots
- “Neighborhood profile: Locust Point in South Baltimore Began as a Port of Entry for European Immigrants. Its Demographics Still Reflect That” by Billy Jean Louis. The Baltimore Sun, April 14, 2022
- “Deconstructing Baltimore: My 10-Best List.” Medium, September 15, 2021
- “Unfair Housing Acts: How Government Policy Segregated the Baltimore Metropolitan Area.” Medium, August 9, 2020.
- “Redlining: A Legacy of Segregation and Discrimination.” Presented to the Federal Judiciary Diversity Committee Speaker Series, June 2020
- “Understanding Racial Disparities in Baltimore: A Framework for Empathy.” Presented to Maryland Department of Labor Correctional Education, December 2020
- “‘Expect the Truth!’ Exploiting History with Mandingo.” American Studies 52, no. 2 (October 22, 2012): 5–21.