Sandra R. Levitsky

Sandra R. Levitsky is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan, with a courtesy appointment in the Law School. She is affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) and contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives addressing gender equity, due process in campus sexual assault adjudication, and the sociological analysis of social welfare rights.

Levitsky holds the following academic degrees:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Wisconsin, 2006
• J.D., University of Minnesota, 1997

Her research interests center on the intersection of law, political sociology, and social movements. She investigates how cultural perceptions of social welfare rights evolve in the U.S., particularly analyzing family care responsibilities and their societal implications. Her landmark book, Caring for Our Own: Why There Is No Political Demand for New American Social Welfare Rights (Oxford, 2014), redefines debates around social welfare politics by questioning why U.S. families do not demand state entitlements for care dilemmas. Currently, she leads the URSA initiative, a multi-institutional study analyzing universities' responses to campus sexual violence, including policy trends, litigation dynamics, and media representation. This work underscores her commitment to addressing systemic inequities through empirical analysis and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Levitsky has received the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor title, recognizing her exceptional contributions to teaching and research.

In her scholarly activities, she has advised students and secured research funding for projects like URSA, though specific grant details are not provided here. Her work intersects with legal and sociological frameworks, emphasizing qualitative methodologies and the impact of social movements on institutional change.

Levitsky is associated with the URSA (University Responses to Sexual Assault on Campus) project, which systematically examines policies, litigation, and historical contexts across 380 universities. She also participates in teams studying due process and gender equity in campus sexual assault adjudication, highlighting her dedication to balancing rights and systemic accountability.