Tricia C. Bruce, PhD

Sociologist. Author. Researcher. Speaker.

Tricia C. Bruce, PhD, is a Senior Research Fellow with the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, a 2025-2026 Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Religion & Society at the University of Notre Dame, President-Elect of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and a five-time marathoner. She served previously as President of the Association for the Sociology of Religion, a papal-appointed consultor to the Synod on Synodality, and a tenured professor. She is the author of numerous award-winning books, articles, and reports in the sociology of religion and U.S. Catholicism.

Happenings

  • Presentation at Congreso Internacional De Pastoral Urbana CDMX

    Wonderful to visit Mexico City for the first time to deliver a talk (“Territorialidad y Desterritorialización de la Ciudad y la Parroquia”) to a gathering of Catholic bishops, priests, and lay leaders from México and beyond. Urban parishes were in… Continue reading

  • 2022 RAAC Proceedings Published

    The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture (RAAC) just released the proceedings from its June 2022 gathering: In June, many of the top scholars studying and teaching about religion in North America gathered in Indianapolis for the… Continue reading

  • Appearance on America Trends Podcast

    In midst of the changing legal landscape for abortion in the U.S., I appreciated the opportunity to reappear as a guest on Larry’s Rifkin’s podcast, America Trends. We talked through where things stand today and what can be learned from… Continue reading

  • Fall Lecture Series, Association of Pittsburgh Priests

    Thanks to the Association of Pittsburgh Priests for the invitation to share findings from the National Study of Abortion Attitudes, complicating narrow depictions of where Americans (and American Catholics) stand on this complex issue. We had a great (Zoom!) turnout… Continue reading

  • My latest in TIME Magazine

    As states deliberate abortion access and regulation in the wake of the new federal landscape, I wrote this new piece for TIME magazine to shed light on how ordinary Americans themselves think through these questions. Most of our interviewees in… Continue reading

  • How do Americans perceive adoption?

    The Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization raises important questions regarding policy in the context of abortion restrictions. Interviewing hundreds of Americans about abortion, we heard many allude to adoption as an alternative — lauding adoption… Continue reading

  • Guest Appearance on Jesuitical

    Thanks to the hosts and producers of the America Magazine podcast, Jesuitical, for inviting me on to talk through how Americans — and Catholics, in particular — think about abortion. It’s a timely conversation in light of the pending decision… Continue reading

  • My article in Time Magazine

    I’m excited to share my new article out in Time Magazine! I share some takeaways from the National Abortion Attitudes Study (NAAS) in light of the Supreme Court leak — namely, that the pending ruling’s implications remain unclear amid the… Continue reading

  • Guest Appearance on Interfaith Voices

    I enjoyed the invitation to talk through what’s often missed in summaries of Americans’ abortion attitudes on the latest episode of the radio show, Interfaith Voices. Check out the full episode, “Abortion is the Story,” with the insightful host Ambereen… Continue reading

  • Collaborative Op-Ed in today’s LA Times

    I joined Notre Dame faculty members Tamara Kay and Susan Ostermann in this piece for the LA Times, published today. It references Americans my team interviewed for the National Abortion Attitudes Study who — even amid opposition to abortion —… Continue reading

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