Susana L Gallardo

Susana L Gallardo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology & Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at San José State University, specializing in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS). She has been affiliated with SJSU since 2005 as a Lecturer in WGSS and transitioned to her current role in 2023. Her research focuses on Chicana/o Catholic communities, the Chicano movimiento, and the intersection of religion, gender, and ethnicity.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University (2012)
  • M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School (1989)

Research interests include Chicana feminisms, religious belonging, Latina/o sexuality, maternity leave in academia, and identity politics. Her current book manuscript explores the history of a Chicana/o Catholic community in San Jose during the 1960s–1970s, with a focus on the emergence of Chicana feminist activism via Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Recent publications analyze theoretical shifts in Latina sexuality studies, academic motherhood, and identity formation. Articles span topics such as ethnocentrism, essentialism, natural birth practices, and the socio-political dimensions of Latina/o identity in the U.S.

Contact: susana.gallardo@sjsu.edu