W. Bradford Wilcox is assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia and a member of the James Madison Society at Princeton University. Prior to coming to the University of Virginia, he held research fellowships at Princeton University, Yale University, and the Brookings Institution. Mr. Wilcox’s research focuses on marriage, cohabitation, fatherhood, and religion. He has published articles on marriage, parenting, fatherhood, and religion in The American Sociological Review, Social Forces, The Journal of Marriage and Family and The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. His first book, Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands, (Chicago, 2004) examines the ways in which the religious beliefs and practices of American Protestant men influence their approach to parenting, household labor, and marriage. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, Mr. Wilcox is now researching the effect that religion has on relationships among low-income parents in urban America.
Professor Wilcox has received the following two awards from the American Sociological Association Religion Section for his research: the Best Graduate Paper Award and the Best Article Award (with Brian Steensland et al.). His research has also been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, CBS News, and numerous NPR stations.
Speaking Topics
Why Marriage Matters: Conclusions from the Social Sciences
What’s Love Got to Do with It? What Makes Women Happy in their Marriages
Religion and the Domestication of Men: How Religion Shapes Fathers and Husbands
Reconcilable Differences: What Social Sciences Show About the Distinctive Talents of Mothers and Fathers
Hardwired to Connect: How Civil Society Influences the Moral and Social Development of Children
