Abigail Ocobock

Assistant Professor

Department: Sociology

Area of Specialization:

Gender and Families; Sexuality and families; LGBTQ+ relationships; feminist theory/practice

My research combines family sociology and gender and sexualities studies with institutional sociology. My work is driven by empirical and theoretical questions about how social institutions impact our most private, intimate and familial relationships. I am particularly interested in studying how the institution of marriage shapes and constrains relationship aspirations, choices and experiences. One current research project investigates how lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) individuals have experienced gaining access to legal marriage and the impact marriage has on their couple, family, and community relationships. A second study examines how second and third generation South Asian Muslims having arranged marriages in the United States navigate relationships in the context of two competing institutional marriage models. It focuses on how gender shapes arranged marriage experiences and how sexual desires, expectations, and behaviors change over the course of dating and marriage.

Gender Studies Courses:

• Gender and Sexuality in Families
• Marriage and Family
• The Sociology of Sexualities