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Rachel Sullivan Robinson Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Environment, Development & Health

Degrees
PhD, Sociology and Demography, University of California, Berkeley, 2007
MA, Sociology, University of California, Berkeley, 2003
MA, Demography, University of California, Berkeley, 2002
BA, Sociology and Anthropology, Swarthmore College, 1999

Favorite Spot on Campus
Amphitheater
Bio
Dr. Robinson is a sociologist and demographer whose research focuses on global health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa, including family planning, HIV/AIDS, and sexuality education. Her book, Intimate Interventions: Preventing Pregnancy and Preventing HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa (Cambridge University Press 2017), investigates the relationship between family planning and HIV/AIDS interventions across the continent with a focus on Senegal, Nigeria, and Malawi. Journals that have published her research include Demography, Journal of the International AIDS Society, Population Studies, and Population Research and Policy Review. She has conducted field research in Namibia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Senegal, and current projects relate to politicized homophobia in sub-Saharan Africa and the extent of social science knowledge on NGOs. Her research has been funded by the MacArthur Foundation, the Council of American Overseas Research Centers, and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Robinson teaches courses on statistics, global health, NGOs, population studies, and development.
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Spring 2024

  • SIS-899 Doctoral Dissertation

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Research Interests

Dr. Robinson's research centers around three main streams. The first stream examines variation in how countries respond to health and development problems and has produced a book and numerous articles related to related to family planning, HIV prevention, and sexuality education in sub-Saharan Africa. Policies, programs, and organizations are of particular interest across these areas. The second stream investigates the origins and effects of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and asks broader questions about state-society relationships. The third stream analyzes fertility timing and outcomes.

 

 

 

Selected Publications

Grants and Sponsored Research

  • MacArthur Foundation "Sandwich Strategies: Comparative Analysis of Institutional Change in the Global South" 2018-2021 ($500,000, co-PI Jonathan Fox)
  • MacArthur Foundation "Managing the Politics of Adolescent Sexuality Education in Nigeria and Mississippi" 2012-2017 ($300,000, co-PI Jeremy Shiffman)
  • Council of American Overseas Research Centers Multi-Country Research Fellowship 2009-10   
  • National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship, 2003-06   
  • National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, Graduate Training Grant, 2001-03

AU Experts

Area of Expertise

Global Health and development; HIV/AIDS; family planning; sex-related health interventions, homophobia, and LGBTQ issues in sub-Saharan Africa

Additional Information

Rachel Robinson is an associate professor in the School of International Service at American University and holds a PhD in sociology and demography from the University of California at Berkeley. Her research focuses on sex-related health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa, including family planning, HIV/AIDS, and sexuality education. She studies how such interventions come into being, the actors that implement them (especially NGOs), and how they influence one another. Current projects relate to politicized homophobia and the extent of social science knowledge on NGOs. She has published a book, Intimate Interventions in Global Health: Family Planning and HIV Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa (Cambridge University Press 2017) and articles in journals such as Demography, Journal of the International AIDS Society, Population Studies, and Population Research and Policy Review. She has conducted field research in Namibia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Senegal. Her research has been funded by the MacArthur Foundation, the Council of American Overseas Research Centers, and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Robinson teaches courses on statistics, global health, population studies, development, and NGOs.

For the Media

To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

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