Douglas Challenger
Professor of Sociology
EDUCATION
- Ph.D. and M.A. Sociology, Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs
- B.A. Human Services, High Point University
- Certificate in Documentary Film Production, New York University
ACADEMIC PROGAMS
- Human Services
- Sociology
COURSES TAUGHT
- Introduction to Sociology
- Introduction to Documentary Studies
- Introduction to Sociological Theory
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Religion & Society
- Family
- Gender, Race, and Crime
- Camino Study Abroad Seminar & Pilgrimage
- Social Welfare Policy
- Documentary Studies Senior Seminar
- HU101 Introduction to Human Services
- HU450 Contemporary Social Problems in Human Services
- HU489 Human Services Senior Seminar
RESEARCH INTERESTS AND AREAS
- Documentary Filmmaking
- Social Theory and Religion
- Pilgrimage Studies
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Civic Engagement and Democracy
- Democratic Civic Education
- Religion and Politics
- Social Theory
- Political Thought
- Religion and Politics
- Social Foundations of Democracy
- General Education within Higher Education
- Pilgrimage Studies
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- American Sociological Association
- International Consortium of Pilgrimage Studies
- Association for Americans on the Camino
- 2022 "The Long-term Impacts of Walking the Camino with a Study Abroad Group," Annual Symposium for Pilgrimage Studies, College of William & Mary, November 4-5.
- 2021 “Perpetual Journey” documentary screening and participant in panel on “Teaching Pilgrimage,” Annual Symposium for Pilgrimage Studies, College of William & Mary, November 12-13 (Virtual).
- 2021 “Perpetual Journey – A Semester on the Road to Santiago,” documentary film, official selection, Monadnock International Film Festival, Oct. 21-30.
- 2021 “Local Filmmakers Panel” Monadnock International Film Festival, Oct. 26.
- 2021 “Douglas and Laurie Challenger are about to release a Camino film ‘Perpetual Journey – a Semester on the Road to Santiago,” My Camino – the Podcast, interview with Dan Mullins podcast episode, Oct. 12.
- 2020 Host and moderator of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Campus Conversations Series with guest Andru Volinsky, New Hampshire Gubernatorial Candidate and Executive Councilor, February 28.
- 2019 Presented “Walking Together: The Camino as a Post-secular Sanctuary,” the Annual Symposium for Pilgrimage Studies, College of William & Mary, September.
- 2019 Radio commentary on the NPR program The Academic Minute entitled “Is the World Becoming More Disenchanted?”, January 15.
- 2018 Organized and Hosted Panel Discussions for Amherst Media with UMASS-Amherst, with community organizers and elected officials on local responses to climate change.
- 2014-2016 New Hampshire Humanities for documentary film production of "From Hurricane to Climate Change" with the Monadnock Institute
- 2013 Putnam Foundation for documentary film production of "From Hurricane to Climate Change" with the Monadnock Institute
- 2010, 2016, 2017 Franklin Pierce University Faculty Development Grants for various documentary film productions
- Franklin Pierce University Faculty Development Grants for various documentary film productions, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Founder & Faculty Leader of the FPU Camino Study Abroad Program
- Coordinator of the FPU Documentary Studies Certificate Program
- Executive Committee of the Monadnock Institute for Nature, Place & Culture at FPU
- Faculty Affairs Committee
- Founding Director of the New England Center for Civic Life at FPU
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Official Selection of documentary film Perpetual Journey at the Monadnock International Film Festival, 2021
- 2016 & 2013: New Hampshire Public Television Independent Producer
- 2013: Best Documentary, Local Look Peterborough
- Doctoral Honors in Sociological Theory, Syracuse University
- Fulbright Scholar
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
2023 "A Semester on the Road to Santiago: Long-term Impacts of Walking the Camino de Santiago in a Family-like Study Abroad Group," International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, Vol. 11: Issue 3, Article 4
2021 “Why Civic Education Is Key to Protecting Democracy,” New England Journal of Higher Education, Feb. 10.
2020 Filmmaker Panel: Local Documentary Filmmaking, Monadnock International Film Festival, (Virtual) Nov. 14.
2019 “Walking Together: The Camino as a Post-secular Sanctuary,” in Peace Journeys: A New Direction in Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Research, Ian McIntosh & Nour Farra Haddad (eds.), Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Scholars Press.
2019 Presentation, “Ritual and the Sacred on the Camino de Santiago,” Annual Symposium for Pilgrimage Studies, Nov. 8-9, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
NPR Commentary (2019) “Is the World Becoming More Disenchanted?” The Academic Minute.
2016 "From Hurricane to Climate Change," Documentary Film, Theatrical and Film Festival Screenings and New Hampshire Public Television
2016 “Walking the Camino in the Age of Wi-Fi,” Guest Contributor to On Being on-line blog, May 14
2016 Presentation “Is Nothing Sacred: Pilgrimage in the Age of Wi-Fi,” Annual Symposium for Pilgrimage Studies, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, College of William & Mary and the International Consortium on Pilgrimage Studies, Williamsburg, VA
2014 “Secularization and the Camino de Santiago,” in A Sociology of Pilgrimage: Embodiment, Identity, Transformation, Lesley Harman (ed.), Ontario, CA
2013 "An Education that Matters: the First Fifty Years of Franklin Pierce University," New Hampshire Public Television
2012 “Being Abroad Matters: Pierce on the Camino,” Radius Magazine, Rindge, NH: Franklin Pierce University
2009 “A Walk of One’s Own: On The Road to Santiago de Compostela,” Radius Magazine, Rindge, NH: Franklin Pierce University
2008 “The New England Center for Civic Life: A Decade of Making in Difference” in Agent of Democracy, David Brown (Ed.) Dayton, Ohio: Kettering Foundation Press
2007 "God and the Commons: Does Religion Matter?" New England Center for Civic Life
2006 Challenger, D. & Thomas, N. L. “Examining Our Role: Religion and the Academy” in Religious Studies News, March, Vol. 21, Number 2, page 14
2005 Challenger, D. & Thomas, N. L. “Religion and Public Life: Engaging the Academy” in American Association of Higher Education News, March. http://www.aahe.org
2004 “The Work of Public-Making: An Interview” in The Higher Education Exchange, Dayton, Ohio: Kettering Foundation Press
2002 Challenger, D., & Doherty, J., “Living in the Lap of an Immense Intelligence: Lessons on Public Scholarship from the Field” in The Higher Education Exchange, Dayton, Ohio: Kettering Foundation Press
2001 Challenger, D., “A More Perfect Union: Aristotle on Deliberation, Diversity, and Citizenship” in Liberal Democracy, Citizenship and Education, Oto Luthar, Keith A. McLeod and Mitja Zagar, (Eds.), Ontario, Canada: Mosaic Press
2000 “The College As Citizen: One College Evolves Through the Work of Public Deliberation” in The Higher Education Exchange, Dayton, Ohio: Kettering Foundation Press
