As a family sociologist, my research examines family and kinship practices at the intersection of social, demographic, and economic change. Up to now, my work has focused on the sub-Saharan African context, with qualitative fieldwork conducted in Nairobi, Kenya. My research is firmly grounded in sociology of the family, with an interdisciplinary integration of family and social demography. The core area of my work is grounded in a conceptual framework, the new economics of kinship, which I developed to describe and understand family variation and transformation. This framework highlights the changing nature of kinship over time, which suggests that traditional sources of kin support may not be available to those who need them. These changes mean there is a considerable gap between how people expect kinship to work and how it often operates in reality. Kinship ties are arguably no less important now in the lives of parents, children, and kin members than they were in the past, but the nature of kin support is constantly in negotiation. My work specifically examines how kinship expectations and ideals are confronted with the realities of changing kinship norms, shifting obligations, and possibly tenuous ties within and across kinship networks. Within this framework, I engage in research in several interconnected areas, focusing on child fostering, kin support across the life-course, and migration and family life.
In an emerging area of research, I explore experiences with romantic relationships, singlehood, and dating across the life-course in the US context. In this area, I have collected qualitative data from mid-life and older adults (aged 55 to 92) and from young adults (aged 18 to 34) in Arizona.
If you would like a copy of one of my articles and don't have access, please send me an email!
Child Fostering
Kin Support Across the Life-Course
Migration & Transitions to Adulthood
Romantic Relationships across the Life-Course
Other Work on Aging