Aliya Hamid Rao

Dr. Aliya Hamid Rao is an Associate Professor in Qualitative Research Methodology at the London School of Economics (LSE), Department of Methodology, and a Faculty Associate at the International Inequalities Institute. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania (2016). Her research focuses on gender, work, and family, particularly exploring how economic risks like unemployment shape gendered practices and social relationships. Key contributions include her book Crunch Time: How Married Couples Confront Unemployment, which highlights gender disparities in job loss experiences.

Her research interests span qualitative methods, economic sociology, and emotions, with publications in top journals like American Sociological Review and Gender and Society. Awards include recognition from the American Sociological Association and the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award. She serves on the editorial boards of Gender & Society and previously Journal of Marriage and Family.

Rao’s work has been featured in mainstream media such as The New York Times and Harvard Business Review. She is affiliated with Stanford’s VMWare Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab and focuses on topics like freelancing justice and dual-earner couples’ decision-making. Her research bridges theoretical insights with practical implications for work-family dynamics and inequality.