Sociology Professor Joins Faculty

Xuefeng Zhang joined the Westmont faculty this fall as an assistant professor of sociology. The native of China earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Harbin Normal University and his master’s degree in sociology at Nankai University before coming to study at the University of Minnesota in 1997.

“After teaching at Westmont for the past two years, I feel deeply at home spiritually, culturally and intellectually,” Zhang says. “I am excited to continue teaching, researching and serving in this loving community. Most importantly, I care deeply about Westmont students and will continue to help them explore the social world from a Christian perspective.”

Zhang’s interest areas include race and ethnicity, immigration, sociology of religion and China studies.

His doctoral dissertation explores the Chinese immigrant church in America with a focus on how Chinese immigrants construct their tripartite identity: Chinese, American and Christian.

He has published “The Impact of Institutional Factors on Chinese Conversion to Evangelical Protestantism in the United States” in Sociology of Religion and “One (Multicultural) Nation Under God? Changing Uses and Meanings of the Term ‘Judeo-Christian’” appeared in the Journal of Media and Religion.

Zhang became a member of OMF International through its partner program last year. He established and serves in UC Santa Barbara Chinese Christian Fellowship.

Zhang and his wife, Amanda, have a 6-year old daughter, Ruth, and a 4-year old son, Enoch.