Ryan Thomson

Ryan Thomson

  • Assistant Professor
  • Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology
(334) 844-5631
rwt0012@auburn.edu
4016 Haley Center

Dr. Ryan Thomson is a Rural Sociologist in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology (DAERS) at Auburn. He is widely recognized for his scholarship on heirs’ property and is currently editor of the Journal of Rural Social Sciences. His work examines land tenure insecurity, dispossession, and rural inequality, with particular attention to how clouded title shapes family wealth, agricultural opportunity, and community stability in the U.S. South.

Education

  • Ph.D.University of Florida2019

  • GradCNorth Carolina University2014

  • M.S.North Carolina State University2012

  • B.A., SociologyNorth Carolina State University2010

  • B.A., Political ScienceNorth Carolina State University2010

Professional Experience

Thomson joined Auburn University in 2019 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2026. He serves as Graduate Program Officer for the interdepartmental sociology program and has held multiple leadership roles in the discipline, including Vice President of the Southern Rural Sociological Association and Program Co-Chair of the Rural Sociological Society.

Research

Thomson’s research centers on heirs’ property, land tenure, and rural land loss. He is best known for developing methods to identify and measure the extent and value of heirs' property across the United States. His scholarship also traces how insecure ownership intersects with social inequality and environmental problems. Across projects, he combines geospatial analysis, mixed methods, and policy-relevant social science to study how property insecurity becomes a durable mechanism of inequality.

Extension Experience

A major part of Thomson’s work involves translating research into practical knowledgeand public engagement. He has led or contributed to heirs’ property trainings through the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), USDA Multi-State Project SERA-49, and the Alabama Heirs’ Property Alliance. His outreach work has included train-the-trainer programs, community forums, public education events, and applied materials for landowners and practitioners. His work has also appeared in public-facing venues including ACES publications, AL.com, NBC News, ABC News, the Miami Herald, and USA Today.