Heather M. Rackin
- Sociology
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Research Summary
Demography, Text Networks, Family, Networks -
Research Description
Substantively, my research focuses on the family and fertility with an interest in how inequality results in different family forms. I explore the links between marriage and fertility with a focus on how cognitive schemas and material conditions interact for low-income Blacks. Methodologically, I use Network Text Analysis combined with traditional qualitative techniques to get schemas from textual data. My ultimate methodological goal is to mesh quantitative and qualitative analysis to create a hybrid that includes the strengths of both methodologies. I hope my efforts can bridge the qualitative/quantitative divide while enlarging and transforming the scope of possible answerable questions.
