Happenings
-
2026 Meetings of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)
Wonderful meetings in Denver, Colorado, for the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) together with the Religion Research Association (RRA)! Highlights included a book panel on my new book, Our Lives, a feature table at the New Books… Continue reading
-
NPR (KQED) Interview — “Sister, yesss!” What’s Behind the Viral Nun Podcast?
Podcasting religious sisters received ample attention this year — yet another example of Catholicism making its way into pop culture and contemporary intrigue. I had fun doing an interview with NPR’s KQED Show “Close All Tabs,” unpacking what the Dominican… Continue reading
-
Marathon #8 in Chicago
While I typically keep my website to “professional” updates, it’s fair to say that running is a big part of how I think, process, and hold together all the parts of my life these days. Running adds an unspoken backdrop… Continue reading
-
Supporting the Paulists’ Communion Project
The Paulist Fathers are committed to building bridges across division, both within the Catholic Church and beyond it. I’ve appreciated their ministry efforts for years, and in more recent years, I’ve been invited into advisory conversations to support their ongoing… Continue reading
-
Directing Social Science Research at USC’s Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies
Since 1998, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies (IACS) of the University of Southern California has promoted the study and application of the Catholic intellectual tradition to important social issues of the day. My 2016 edited volume on American Parishes… Continue reading
-
Catholicism & Young Adult Conversions — a Loyola University Chicago Workshop
A Hank Center workshop at Loyola University Chicago introduced thoughtful new insights, cautions, and deeper interpretations of accounts of a rise in Catholic conversions, especially among young adults. Our panel of sociologists helped make sense of what’s happening (and what’s… Continue reading
-
Our Lives covered in National Catholic Reporter
“If pressed for our views on abortion, most of us would struggle to be succinct. There are political edges to navigate, of course, but legal, medical, social and moral considerations as well. Rarely do our opinions lend themselves to single… Continue reading
-
Book Release Day!
It’s here! Books can feel like they take *forever* — and then, one day, they are officially *out* in the world. It’s equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. Something I poured my heart into, but know can never be perfect nor… Continue reading
-
Convening with ASR in NYC
Great to gather with other sociologists for the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association (ASA) and Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR) in New York City. My responsibilities were a bit lighter this year as immediate *past* president… Continue reading
-
Holding a First Copy of My New Book!
An exciting day: I got to hold a copy of my newest book for the first time! Our Lives: What Abortion Attitudes Reveal About Who We Are As Americans will release officially with the University of California Press in just… Continue reading
