Kathleen Broussard, Ph.D.

Hi there! I am Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of South Carolina. My research interests include medical sociology, sexual and reproductive health, social demography, and fertility desires and behaviors.

My recent work examines people's decision-making processes related to pregnancy and parenthood as well as their experiences seeking healthcare for a wide range of reproductive health issues. I use both quantitative and qualitative approaches in my research including survey and interview-based methods, content analysis, and ethnography to explore these complex dynamics of social life.

M\uFEFFy research appears in Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Social Science & Medicine, Population Studies, JAMA Network Open, Contraception, American Journal of Public Health, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and other peer-reviewed publications. It has also been featured across major news outlets, including The New York Times and The Atlantic. In support of my research, I have received funding from the Society of Family Planning and the The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Prior to joining USC, I completed my Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, where I was a fellow at the Population Research Center, and my M.A. at the University of Chicago.

Courses across sociology, demography, and reproductive health

"The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy." — bell hooks

I teach courses across sociology, demography, and reproductive health, mentoring students to connect theory and lived experience with rigorous evidence.

Beyond the classroom

My work engages public conversations on reproductive health, health equity, and social policy through media, community partnerships, and policy briefs. I collaborate with journalists, advocates, and practitioners to translate research into accessible insights.

Selected media coverage

• The Conversation | June 2024 — Abortion bans are changing what it means to be young in America

• TIME | May 2024 — ‘I Don’t Have Faith in Doctors Anymore.’ Women Say They Were Pressured Into Long-Term Birth Control

• The New Yorker | November 2021 — What Does an At-Home Abortion Look Like in 2021?

• The New York Times | September 2019 — Why America’s Abortion Rate Might Be Higher Than It Appears

• The Atlantic | July 2018 — Illegal Abortion Will Mean Abortion By Mail

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My mentorship approach centers collaborative inquiry and professional development:

• 4 Graduate theses and dissertations

• 10 Undergraduate honors and independent projects

• 3 Publications co-authored with students