Amira Allen

Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology
Howard Hall 135
amira.allen@drake.edu

Dr. Amira Allen is a Visiting Assistant of Sociology at Drake University. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology with concentrations in family and demography from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Allen also received her M.A. in Sociology from the University of North Dakota and B.A. in Sociology-Anthropology from Elizabethtown College.

In the classroom, Dr. Allen is passionate about teaching courses on family, social policy, gender, race/ethnicity, and other sociological courses. Dr. Allen believes that fostering a sociological imagination is crucial for developing critical thinking and challenging our everyday perceptions of the social world. Dr. Allen is enthusiastic about helping students engage deeply with these topics and apply their understanding to real-world issues.

Dr. Allen's research interests include work and family, family demography, parenting, and work-family policy. Dr. Allen is particularly interested in understanding how social factors such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status shapes family dynamics and work-family policies. Her work aims to uncover and address disparities in family life, advocating for policies that mitigate work-family conflict. Dr. Allen has authored and co-authored articles that focus on work-family and parenting, including work-family stress among young adult parents and racial/ethnic differences in time spent in childcare. She has been published in the  Journal of Family Issues and Social Science Research and other sociology journals.