Dr. Rachel Kahn

Biography

Rachel Kahn is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Sociology at the University of Michigan. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 2012. Rachel's research focuses on the intersections of politics, culture, and inequality, particularly as they relate to health, illness, and medicine. Her book, 'Common Enemies: Disease Campaigns in America,' explores how Americans' propensity to launch campaigns against diseases can have unintended consequences on health policy. It examines the political and social ramifications of overestimating control over health outcomes. Currently, she is working on a project utilizing computational methods to investigate the ties between disease stigma, advocacy efforts, and policy results. Her work critically analyzes the impact of stigma and visibility on the experiences of individuals with disabilities, especially in the context of ADA litigation.

Research Interests