Michael W. Yarbrough

Michael W. Yarbrough is an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY), where he teaches in the Law & Society major and conducts research on law's role in shaping relationships and intersecting inequalities of race, class, gender, and sexuality.

He earned a BA in sociology from the University of Chicago and both a JD and PhD in sociology from Yale University, establishing an interdisciplinary foundation for his scholarship.

Yarbrough's research centers on two major projects: a book examining South Africa's expansion of marriage laws for same-sex couples and African customary systems, and the 'After Marriage Equality' series analyzing post-marriage-equality shifts in queer families and activism. His work employs qualitative methods including interviews, emphasizing marginalized voices and the dynamic interplay between state law and social practice, with particular focus on how legal frameworks perpetuate or challenge systemic inequalities.

His publications from 2006-2020 reveal consistent thematic threads: analyzing marriage law in South Africa as a lens for understanding broader social transformations, documenting everyday experiences of marginalized communities within legal systems, and highlighting tensions between cultural tradition and progressive change. Key recurring themes include the political economy of bridewealth (lobola), media representation of LGBTQ+ Africans, and historical continuities in marriage struggles.

Yarbrough's significant recognition includes:

• Law & Society Association Article Prize (2019)
• John Jay College Teaching and Service to Students Awards
• CUNY Academy of Humanities and Sciences Outstanding Assistant Professor (2019)

He actively mentors undergraduates through the Legal Disruption Project, a student-led initiative examining how law impacts John Jay students' lives, and has received institutional awards for both teaching excellence and student service. His collaborative editorial projects—including the 'After Marriage Equality' trilogy and the forthcoming 'Handbook of Law, Movements, and Social Change'—demonstrate sustained engagement with academic-practitioner knowledge exchange.

Yarbrough maintains active collaborations with CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and works with colleagues including Angela Jones, Joseph Nicholas DeFilippis, Steven Boutcher, and Corey Shdaimah on interdisciplinary projects bridging legal scholarship, social movements, and pedagogy.