Dr. Cassandra D. Chaney has been named the J. Franklin Bayhi Endowed Professor
09/18/20
BATON ROUGE - The LSU School of Social Work is pleased to announce that Dr. Cassandra
D. Chaney has been named the J. Franklin Bayhi Endowed Professor in the College of
Human Sciences & Education. Dr. Chaney is a faculty member in the School’s Child &
Family Studies Program.
Dr. Chaney holds the PhD and Masters degree in Human and Community Development from
the University of Illinois and a BS in Psychology from Southern University and A&M
College. She joined the LSU faculty in Child & Family Studies in what was then the
School of Human Ecology in 2006.
Dr. Chaney is an award-winning Black families’ scholar with broad interests in the formation, structure, and function of Black families. In particular, her research examines the narratives of single, dating, cohabiting, and married Blacks, as well as how religion and spirituality support these families, both historically and today. Using a variety of theoretical lenses, she qualitatively explores intimacy and commitment in Black heterosexual relationships, emphasizing how demonstrations and perceptions of masculinity/manhood and femininity/womanhood shape this discourse
In addition, her research also pinpoints factors that contribute to enduring Black marriages. Chaney also critiques the portrayal of Black families in various forms of mass media (e.g., television, screen, song lyrics). Given the unique challenges of Black families, her research provides recommendations regarding how policy can better meet the needs of Black families who experience heightened rates of incarceration, unemployment, weakened family structures, and racism.
Most important, her scholarship is rooted in a strengths-based perspective and is devoted to emphasizing the various ways that Black families remain resilient in the face of these challenges. Her work has been published in Ethnicities, Family Relations, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, International Journal of Religion and Society, Marriage & Family Review, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Journal of Family Issues, the Journal of African American Studies, Forum for Family and Consumer Issues, Negro Educational Review, the Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, Religion & Society, Religion, Mental Health, & Society, and The Western Journal of Black Studies.
Dr. Chaney is a prolific scholar, with more than 95 publications in the form of books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed journals, along with a recent book entitled, Police Use of Excessive Force against African Americans: Historical Antecedents and Community Perceptions (Policing Perspectives and Challenges in the Twenty-First Century). She is an award-winning instructor, and was recently appointed upon recommendation of the LSU President to the Louisiana State Senate’s Police Training, Screening, and De-escalation Task Force.
About The School of Social Work
The LSU School of Social Work (SSW) aspires to be a leading graduate school of social work, a vibrant center of intellectual development, a leader in promoting and supporting diverse communities, and an advocate for an integrated and inclusive model of social work, all within a learning environment that supports best educational practices. The Child and Family Studies (CFS) undergraduate degree integrates theory, research, and practice to focus on child development and family dynamics.
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About The College of Human Sciences & Education
The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The College is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Leadership and Human Resource Development, the School of Kinesiology, the School of Library and Information Science, the School of Social Work, and the University Laboratory School. These combined schools offer 8 undergraduate degree programs and 18 graduate programs, enrolling more than 1,900 undergraduate and 977 graduate students. The College is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and is continually working to improve its programs.