Danielle Lindemann

Danielle Lindemann is a Professor of Sociology at Lehigh University and a core faculty member in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She currently holds a Stanley Kelley Jr. Visiting Professorship in Gender & Sexuality Studies at Princeton University (2025-2026). Her research bridges gender, sexuality, culture, and work, emphasizing how 'deviant' practices illuminate broader social structures. Lindemann earned her BA in English from Princeton University (2002) and PhD in Sociology from Columbia University (2010).

Her work spans three authored books: Dominatrix: Gender, Eroticism, and Control in the Dungeon (2012), Commuter Spouses: New Families in a Changing World (2019), and True Story: What Reality TV Says about Us (2022). The latter was hailed as one of the ‘Best Nonfiction Books of 2022’ by Esquire and featured in The New York Times Book Review. Lindemann’s scholarship has appeared in over 30 peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Marriage and Family, Social Science & Medicine, and Work and Occupations.

Her research interests include: non-normative behavior as cultural critique, the sociology of reality television, gender dynamics in labor markets, and modern family structures. Lindemann has contributed op-eds to CNN, Newsweek, and Salon, and has been interviewed on NPR, CNN, and BBC about her work. Teaching accolades include awards for mentorship and pedagogy in sociology and gender studies.

• Education: BA (Princeton University, English, 2002); PhD (Columbia University, Sociology, 2010)
• Affiliations: Lehigh University, Princeton University (visiting), and the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP)
• Grants: Research funded by the National Science Foundation, Rutgers University, and the Center for Women and Work
• Labs/Teams: Collaborations on projects like ‘Portability of Creative Identity’ (with Steven Tepper) and ‘Desperate Fortunes’ (with Linda Houser)

Personal interests include reality TV analysis, crossword puzzles, and her family of two daughters, two goldfish, and a hermit crab collection.