Scholarly Work

Dr. Cabrera is the prolific author of over 100 scholarly publications in the areas of race/racism, anti-racism, Whiteness, Ethnic Studies, and the racial dynamics of higher education institutions. His work has been cited over 7,000 times and has influenced a federal desegregation case, the highest profile Ethnic Studies case in U.S. history (Gonzalez v. Douglas), and has been covered extensively in the popular media. Dr. Cabrera has received numerous honors for his scholarly work including:

National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) in American Higher Education, Equity & Social Justice Award (Scholar Award; 2023)
Association for the Study of Higher Education, Book of the Year (2019) for White Guys on Campus
American Educational Research Association, Division J, Publication of the Year (2018) for White Guys on Campus
“Emerging Scholar” by both Diverse Issues in Higher Education (2019) and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA, 2013)
Society for Research on Adolescence, Social Policy Award “Best Article” for Missing the (student achievement) forest for all the (political) trees
Tucson’s 40 Under 40 (2015)
Erasmus Scholar, University of Arizona College of Education (2013)
Faculty Fellow by the American Association of Hispanic Higher Education (AAHHE, 2012)

Here is a sample of Dr. Cabrera's work

Dr. Cabrera’s new book Whiteness in the Ivory Tower (Teachers College Press) critically unveils how Whiteness is deeply embedded in the ideologies and organizational structures of colleges and universities that guide practices, policies, and research, in order to transform these practices. Praise for the text include:

“Nolan Cabrera offers us a searing critique of how higher education reproduces White supremacy in both loud and quiet ways.”

—Wayne Au, professor, University of Washington School of Educational Studies, editor, Rethinking Schools

“Combining a deep and rich understanding of previous U.S. scholarship with new and laser-sharp analysis, this book unmasks the violent and racist operation of White power at every level of higher education.”

—David Gillborn, editor-in-chief, Race Ethnicity and Education

“Not just an academic exercise, this book is a call to action for visionary educational leaders committed to real social justice. Indeed, this is a must-read and must-heed for anyone seeking to challenge systemic racism embedded throughout the U.S. academic world.”

—Joe Feagin, Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University, author of The White Racial Frame and Racist America

“As only Nolan L. Cabrera can, this book offers approaches to resisting Whiteness and its privileges while serving as a critical resource for scholars, educators, policymakers, and activists seeking to understand and challenge racial inequities in higher education. The question is, do we have the courage to heed Cabrera’s call?”

—Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University, and author of Advancing Racial Literacies in Teacher Education

To Purchase Whiteness in the Ivory Tower, please visit Teachers College Press or Amazon.

Dr. Cabrera’s multiple award-winning book White Guys on Campus goes directly to the heart of racism on modern day college campuses by extensively interviewing White male undergraduates. Praise for the text include:

“In this era of educational resegregation, Nolan Cabrera’s White Guys on Campus examines how whiteness blocks paths toward truth, justice, and reconciliation. A timely, provocative, even hopeful book.”

— Jeff Chang, author of We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race & Resegregation

“There are and always have been lots of white guys on college campuses. This timely, important book helps us more deeply understand their racial identities, socialization, and attitudes. Cabrera masterfully complicates whiteness, illuminates white supremacy, and proposes ways to help white college men become less racist.”

— Shaun R. Harper, Clifford and Betty Allen Professor, University of Southern California Rossier School of Education

“seems racist… this book is anti white male.” (one star out of five)

–Anonymous Amazon review from someone who never read the book

To purchase White Guys on Campus, please visit Amazon or Rutgers U Press

This critical synthesis of the scholarly literature in higher education both extensively documents the relevance of Whiteness to these institutions, while also charting new paths toward anti-racist colleges and universities.

To view the monograph, visit bepress.com

Select scholarly publications

Missing the (Student Achievement) Forest for All the (Political) Trees

This was the first large-scale, quantitative analysis of the relationship between taking a K-12 ethnic studies class and student performance. The results played prominently in the federal lawsuit challenging Arizona’s ban on Tucson’s Mexican American Studies.