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

  • Guest appearance on Iowa Catholic Radio

    I enjoyed my conversation with Iowa Catholic Radio’s latest episode of “Straight Talk” hosted by Jeanne Wells, during which we talked about Catholics in and out of the church. Social distancing from the church is not a new phenomenon! Listen… Continue reading

  • Calm and Fear

    In this extraordinary time, we recognize just how connected we are to one another. Thanks to WBIR for the invitation to speak to concerns raised by Covid-19 and the collective network of support its response requires. Grateful to join a… Continue reading

  • The mark of a movement

    The trial and conviction of Harvey Weinstein signals an important outcome of global efforts to address sexual harassment in the workplace. Thanks to WBIR for the invitation to talk through what this conviction says about social movements and their promise… Continue reading

  • Proceedings of the Sixth Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture

    The Proceedings of the Sixth Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture held last June in Indianapolis, IN are now available online. They include a written version of an invited panel I participated in on the topic of religion and… Continue reading

  • Advance online publication of my 2019 H. Paul Douglass Lecture, “I Can’t Keep Quiet”

    The Review of Religious Research journal has published an advance online version of my 2019 H. Paul Douglass Lecture, “I Can’t Keep Quiet: Engaging with Scholarly Research on Religion.” I was honored to deliver this address to the annual meeting… Continue reading

  • Politics and “Good” Catholics

    The occasion of Communion denial by a bishop to a politician provided an opportunity to talk with Religion New Service reporter Jack Jenkins about politics and notions of a “good” Catholic. Read the RNS article with my sociological commentary on… Continue reading

  • “I Can’t Keep Quiet” (2019 H. Paul Douglass Lecture)

    “I Can’t Keep Quiet: Engaging Scholarly Research on Religion” was the title of my H. Paul Douglass Lecture, presented at the 2019 meetings of the Religious Research Association / Society for the Scientific Study of Religion in St. Louis. I… Continue reading

  • Carriers of Catholicism: Agents of a Future Church (My Lecture @ Fairfield University)

    I was honored by the invitation to give the 19th annual Anne Drummey O’Callaghan Lecture, presented by the Center for Catholic Studies at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was great to be in a room full of attentive students,… Continue reading

    Carriers of Catholicism: Agents of a Future Church (My Lecture @ Fairfield University)

  • Politics and personal well-being

    The inundation of political news can take a toll on our personal well-being, according to a recent study by Kevin B. Smith, Matthew V. Hibbing, and John R. Hibbing. Thanks to WBIR-Knoxville for the chance to react and reflect on… Continue reading

  • Youtube debut on Religion for Breakfast!

    I’m excited to share that the video I cowrote with Andrew Mark Henry of the Youtube channel Religion for Breakfast is now live! “Why are congregations so divided?” looks at the social dynamics behind divisions along race, class, and more… Continue reading

    Youtube debut on Religion for Breakfast!

engaging A Sociological Perspective

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