A multidisciplinary urbanist with a background in sociology and cultural studies, Gordon's work concerns questions of local identity, peoples' relationships to their physical surroundings, and inequality in urban development. His writing and photography have appeared in Urban Studies, the Journal of Urban Design, City & Community, and other journals, as well as a number of books, magazines, newspapers, and blogs. Prior to joining San José State, Gordon was Associate Director of New York University’s Institute for Public Knowledge. He received his PhD in Sociology at the University of Chicago in 2014.