Abigail Ocobock

Abigail Ocobock is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Concurrent Faculty in the Gender Studies Program at the University of Notre Dame. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago (2015) and has held postdoctoral and visiting positions at Notre Dame prior to her current role. Her research focuses on family sociology, gender, sexualities, and institutional dynamics, particularly exploring how marriage institutions shape LGBTQ+ relationships and gendered inequalities.

• Affiliations: Department of Sociology, Gender Studies Program
• Education: Ph.D. (University of Chicago, 2015), MSc (Oxford University, 2003), BA (University of East Anglia, 2002)

Her research interests include the transformative impact of legal marriage on same-sex relationships, bisexuality and relationship formation, and pandemic-driven shifts in work and family dynamics. Key works include her 2024 book Marriage Material (University of Chicago Press) and peer-reviewed articles in American Journal of Sociology and Journal of Marriage and Family.

Awards & Grants:

• NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (2013)
• University of Chicago William Rainey Harper Fellowship (2014)
• Notre Dame ISLA Research Grants (2021, 2019)

Teaching & Mentorship:

• Teaches courses on gender/sexuality in families, marriage sociology, and LGBTQ+ studies
• Advised over 20 doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate theses

Labs/Projects: Ongoing work includes a longitudinal study on bisexual identity and a project examining pandemic-era gendered inequalities in work and parenting.