Joseph Baker wants to find out if people believe in evil. "I'm studying the connections between perceptions of evil and political attitudes," the third-year doctoral student says.

This niche interest prompted him to leave his native Tennessee for the Lone Star State. "I came to Baylor because of the opportunities to study the sociology of religion," he said. "When I applied, Baylor was one of the few schools offering this sort of degree."

Baylor Religion Survey

His research interests, which include the sociology of belief and knowledge, deviance and social theory, are put to practice as he analyzes and interprets data from the Baylor Religion Survey, the most in-depth and sensitive study on religious attitudes of Americans. "It was created by people in our department," Joseph says. "And the data is collected by the Gallup Organization."

He feels that the intensity and rigor of the sociology department is made worthwhile by his environment, which he considers intellectual and progressive. "The faculty members are high-level academics, displaying excellence in teaching and research," he says. "Most of all, they show such willingness to work with students in developing acumen in research."

Looking Ahead

Joseph plans to pursue a career teaching in academia after he graduates, but also intends on continuing to conduct research."I always enjoyed my social science classes because they made me see the world from different perspectives and analyzed topics that people deal with on a daily basis," he says. "This led to my own interest in studying sociology and my motivation to help others see the world they inhabit in new ways."

And outside of researching, analyzing and dissertating, one may find Joseph participating in a weekly poker game with his colleagues as well as playing the drums. "You really become close with your fellow students because for the most part, those are the people you see," he says. "But we are all young scholars and share similar interests, so it's cool."