Box 1916

Maxcy Hall

112 George Street

Providence, RI 02912

Telephone: (401) 863-2367

Sociology@brown.edu

 

M.A. in Sociology, Brown University

Contact Information:
Brown University
Department of Sociology
Box 1916
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: (401) 863-3459
Fax: (401) 863-3213
Julie_Fennell@brown.edu

Year of Entry: 2003

Previous Degrees:
M.A. in Sociology, Brown University 2005
B.A. in Sociology and Literature, UNC-Asheville 2003

Curriculum Vitae

Areas of Interest:
Contraception, Fertility, Family and Intimate Relationships, Sexuality, Classical Theory and Feminist Theory

My research focuses on understanding the sexual context of fertility and contraceptive decision-making. In particular, I look at how couples and individuals make decisions about contraception. I am also especially interested in men's experiences with unintended pregnancy, since very little is known about this subject. I have developed a theoretical perspective for understanding fertility decision-making that emphasizes the sexual and relationship context of these decisions, and which consequently acknowledges the role that women and men both play in them. I have also conducted actual interviews with 30 American couples about their experiences with these types of decisions which I am currently analyzing. In general, I have found support for my theories. For example, I have found an almost universal dislike of condoms among men and women which intersects with power differentials in their relationships such that disempowered partners rarely try to negotiate condom use. I also found that in more trusting relationships, men are more involved in contraceptive and fertility decisions than in less trusting relationships.

One of my less anticipated findings was the impact that sexual scarcity has on contraceptive rigor. While I did find that fear of pregnancy was a motivating factor for people's consistent contraceptive use, both men and women became more careless about contraception when faced with a subjective state of sexual scarcity.
Lack of sexual opportunities were caused by long distance relationships, lack of privacy (from parents, children, roommates, etc.), one or more partner's exhaustion, and lack of libido. The infrequent sex often meant that respondents did not seek hormonal contraception (e.g. the Pill); moreover, lack of contraception was unlikely to stall the encounter if opportunities were perceived as low. This finding is particularly important when considering the contraceptive practices of young people, since my respondents often reported that when they were younger, they frequently perceived themselves as having few opportunities for sex.

Another unanticipated finding was the widespread practice of withdrawal or "pulling out." The 2002 National Survey of Family Growth found a considerable rise in withdrawal as a backup method of contraception among young people, but my interview data suggest that their findings still greatly underestimated this practice, because most people did not discuss it as a contraceptive practice. Rather, they talked about it in terms of a behavioral, aesthetic, or hygienic practice (e.g. "semen is gross"). My data strongly indicate that future surveys should ask questions about withdrawal both as a contraceptive practice, and as a behavioral practice. Moreover, to fully understand the extent of it, we should ask a question like "How often does your partner "pull out" or withdraw when having vaginal intercourse?" with an ordinal response ("always, almost always, sometimes, rarely, never"), because most of my respondents, who were largely white and well-educated, seemed to practice withdrawal most--but not all--of the time.

I am also working on a paper with my advisor, Prof. Nancy Luke, on post-polygynous relationships in Kenya. We look at men's extra-marital sexual relationships, and the cultural ideology which informs them.

In addition to my research interests, I am very committed to the teaching of Sociology. I have taught my own college-level enrichment course in Introductory Sociology (High School as a Social Laboratory: Introduction to Sociology) to high school students at Brown's Summer Studies program for three summers, and I taught Classical Theory at Connecticut College in the Fall of 2006. In addition, I have worked as a teaching assistant for four semesters, and in Spring 2008 will be working as a teaching assistant to help maintain a course at Brown in Family during a professor's maternity leave. I have also worked extensively for several years with Brown's Sheridan Center, which is a campus institution devoted to developing better undergraduate education. In addition to teaching Classical Theory, Introductory Sociology, and Family, I am also interested in teaching a classes on Gender, Feminist Theory, Neo-Classical/Contemporary Theory, Sex and American Popular Culture, Introduction to Population, and Qualitative Methods. For undergraduates, I plan to create an introductory sociology class around the theme of technology and society's attitude towards it.

Working Papers:
It Happened One Night: The Sexual Context of Fertility Decision-Making
Power, Trust, and Pleasure: Relationship Components of Contraceptive Negotiations