RICHARD J. PETTS
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Richard J. Petts

Sociologist and Family Demographer
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A Little About
​Myself.

I am a sociologist and family demographer who studies family and gender inequality and whose research lies at the intersections of family, work, gender, and policy. My primary research passion focuses on parental leave and fatherhood, seeking to understand perceptions of parental leave and how parental leave-taking influences families as well as the predictors and consequences of father involvement. Overall, my work seeks to identify and understand policies and practices that can reduce gender inequality, promote greater work-family balance, and improve family well-being.

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Media

My work has been featured in media outlets such as ABC News, The Atlantic, Bloomberg News, CNBC, CNN, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Yahoo News. Recent media engagement includes:
  • Philly Dads are Picking Up the Slack Post-Pandemic, but Moms Still Do the Most Work (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
  • Fathers Gained Family Time in the Pandemic. Many Don't Want to Give it Back (The New York Times)
  • What family experts hope Congress will consider in '23 (Deseret News)
  • The Value of Paternity Leave for Children and Families (The Mind, Body & Soul in Healing Podcast)
  • LGBTQ advocates regroup on paid parental leave after Biden's safety net bill stalls (NBC News)
  • Interview on Paid Family Leave in the US (CGTN-America)
  • Family Matters: Why the US Lags Behind in Paid Parental Leave (France 24)
  • Parental Leave is American Exceptionalism at Its Bleakest (The Atlantic)
  • Palantir co-founder sparks criticism for saying men who take 6 months of paternity leave are 'losers' (Business Insider)
  • America's Troubled Relationship with Paid Time Off for Dads (CBS News)
  • The Gender Researcher’s Guide to an Equal Marriage (The Atlantic)
  • Who’s helping around the house? It’s a he said, she said situation (Deseret News)
  • Dads Will Be Different Coming Out of the Pandemic (The Atlantic)
  • Testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee on Paid Leave (Fatherly)
  • Parental Leave - Top of Mind with Julie Rose (BYU Radio)
  • What Happens When Fathers Take Paternity Leave - And When They Don't (Fatherly)
  • Paternity Leave is Ignored by Corporate America - And That's a Problem for Women (USA Today)
  • How Unequal Paid Parental Leave for Men and Women can Reinforce Gender Inequality at Fortune 500 Firms (CNBC) 
  • Getting Dads To Do More Around the House, Starting with a History Lesson (CNN)
  • Your Boss Should Take Full Parental Leave (The New York Times)
  • Paternity Leave has Long-Lasting Benefits. So Why Don't More American Men Take It? (The New York Times)
  • The Bosses Who Walk the Walk on Paternity Leave (Wall Street Journal)
  • 10-Day Mandated Paternity Leave? It’s Coming to Countries in Europe but the U.S. Lags Behind (ABC News)
  • ​How Taking Paternity Leave Can Increase the Chance of Your Relationship Lasting (Danielle Smith Show, CHQR, Calgary, Alberta)
  • As More New Dads Get Paternity Leave, Companies Push Them to Take It (Wall Street Journal)
  • Dads Say They Deserve Parental Leave But Only in Theory (Bloomberg)

Recent editorials have also been published in Harvard Business Review and The Conversation:
  • 82% of Americans Want Paid Maternity Leave - Making it as Popular as Chocolate
  • ​To Keep Women in the Workforce, Men Need to do More at Home
View my research

Get In Touch.

If you are interested in my research or have any questions about my work, please contact me.
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  • CV
  • Publications
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