Kaitlin H. Joshua

I’m Kaitlin Joshua, a researcher, Sociology PhD Candidate at UNC Chapel Hill, and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow.

My broad research agenda investigates how reproductive processes are socially constructed by gender, medicine, and culture. In one research stream, I analyze how cultural constructions of family roles, particularly motherhood, shape wellbeing. In another research stream, I analyze how gendered labor patterns become embedded in couple dynamics, establishing mothers as primary parents. I find that gendered divisions of reproductive labor lay the groundwork for an unequal division of household labor, linking biological reproductive processes to lasting household gender inequality. Both streams have implications for reproductive healthcare and family policy in the United States.

I specialize in qualitative and mixed method research designs, integrating in-depth interviews, surveys, participant observations, and social media.

I expect to complete my Ph.D. in May 2027. I received my M.A. in Sociology from UNC Chapel Hill in May 2024, and my B.A. in Medicine, Health, and Society and Economics from Vanderbilt University in May 2021.

When I’m not working on research projects, I enjoy reading fiction, taking outdoor walks, practicing yoga, and checking out local art galleries and museums — I love visiting the Ackland in Chapel Hill and Peel in Carrboro. I’m originally from Mississippi, but I’ve been living and researching in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina since 2021. 

Cover Art: Claire Mahl Moore, The Family, c. 1936, screenprint, Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of Reba and Dave Williams, 2008.115.3561