Monisola’s research and teaching focus on the structural and social factors that shape the educational experiences of African Americans and Black immigrants in American society. Integrating theoretical perspectives from sociology and Black Studies, her work uses quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine how African American and Afro-Caribbean youth navigate America’s racialized education system.
Using racialization theory, the collateral consequences perspective, and diverse theories in medical sociology and immigration, her dissertation addresses two primary research questions: (1) How does school punishment affect the educational and mental health outcomes of African American and Afro-Caribbean adolescents? (2) What resources do African American and Afro-Caribbean youth draw upon to cope with their punitive experiences? Monisola’s coauthored article appears in the journal Social Problems.