Elizabeth A. Armstrong

About the Author

Elizabeth A. Armstrong is a distinguished sociologist and professor at the University of Michigan, where she explores the intricate intersections of education, gender, and social inequality. With a PhD from Yale University, her research draws on extensive fieldwork and quantitative analysis to illuminate how institutional structures perpetuate disparities in higher education and beyond. Armstrong's work challenges conventional narratives about meritocracy and opportunity, advocating for systemic reforms to foster equity. Her seminal book, Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality, co-authored with Laura T. Hamilton, offers a groundbreaking ethnographic study of undergraduate life, revealing how party culture and social networks reinforce class and gender divides on campus. Through her incisive scholarship, Armstrong continues to influence policy and academic discourse on access to higher education.