Michaela Simmons

Michaela Simmons is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on the enduring consequences of racial inequality in the American welfare state. Her work intersects with themes of social citizenship, family dynamics, and childhood within institutional frameworks.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, University of California, Berkeley (2021)

Research Interests examine the racial politics of foster care development in the early 20th century, emphasizing demographic shifts and contested definitions of racial responsibility in child welfare systems. Her work bridges Race and Ethnic Studies, Family Sociology, and Comparative-Historical Sociology.

Selected Publications analyze the integration of foster care (1920s–1960s) and the racialized evolution of welfare policies, with methodological focus on historical institutional analysis and policy impact studies.