Robert Joseph Taylor

Robert Joseph Taylor is the Harold R. Johnson Endowed Professor of Social Work and Sheila Feld Collegiate Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan's School of Social Work. He directs the Program for Research on Black Americans at the Institute for Social Research, focusing on informal social support networks among African Americans and Black Caribbeans. With a PhD in Social Work and Sociology from the University of Michigan (1983) and MSW (1976), he has published over 175 peer-reviewed articles.

Research Interests:

• Informal social support networks (family, friends, church) for adult/elderly African Americans
• Religion's impact on mental and physical health
• Extended family dynamics in Black communities
• Age-related disparities in social isolation

Recent Publications: His 2025 work with Moody & Chatters examines subjective well-being in African Americans, while 2024 studies with Nguyen, Kim, and others analyze social isolation's mental health impacts. Earlier works include Family Life in Black America (1997) and Aging in Black America (1993).

Honors:

• 2021 James Jackson Outstanding Mentorship Award (Gerontological Society of America)
• 2018 Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award

Funding: Multiple NIH grants from National Institute on Aging and National Institute of Mental Health, including principal investigator roles in studies on religion and aging, and mental health correlates among Black populations.