Karyn Loscocco

Expertise: 

Gender, Race, and Racism; Intersectionality; Social Inequalities; 

Recent Research Projects

• Gender, Race and Cultural Constructions of Marriage and Family -- This project began with a critical look at the norms embedded in heterosexual marriage in the United States. Loscocco and collaborators (within and beyond UAlbany) exposed the societal “sleight of hand” whereby women have been set up for marital challenges, while being told the solution lies in changing themselves. They analyzed the unique difficulties and pioneering adaptations of Black wives. Current research focuses on the role of cultural messaging in perpetuating these patterns, and its potential to disrupt them. The work extends to the cultural imperatives women face as they navigate the imbalance at the heart of the U.S. work-family system. 
• Structural Racism and White Attitudes -- In Race and Work: Persistent Inequality (Polity Press), Loscocco provides an accessible conceptual and empirical explanation of the many racial-ethnic disparities related to paid work. She continues to write about racism, White advantage, and White beliefs.
• Women's Re-Entry from Jail or Prison -- In the Capital District, the triple jeopardy of being a poor woman of color leads to more jail or prison time. Dr. Loscocco and Dr. Frankie Bailey (Criminal Justice) are collaborating with community organizations to improve the re-entry process for local women. Using multiple research methods, the project team (assisted by graduate and undergraduate students) is identifying the web of structural obstacles faced by low-income women of color after the trauma of incarceration. The aim is to improve access to jobs and other resources necessary for a successful re-entry.

Research Interests

• Cultural Constructions of Gender, Race, and Sexualities
• Social Construction of White Attitudes about Race and Racism
• LGBTQ+ Inequities in Italy
• Gender and Race Inequalities in Work and Family