Faculty / Staff
Ramona Faith Oswald
Associate Professor of Family Studies
Director, Graduate Studies
263 Bevier Hall, MC-180
905 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Phone: (217) 333-2547
Fax: (217) 244-7877
E-mail: roswald@illinois.edu
Education
Ph.D. 1998, University of Minnesota, Family Social Science
M.A. 1994, University of Minnesota, Family Social Science
B.A. 1987, Macalester College, Studio Arts and Philosophy
Research Interests
Lesbian/gay families; community contexts; rituals; generativity; qualitative methods
My overall research program examines how lesbian and gay men construct their families within specific contexts, how family well being is shaped by external factors (e.g., community climate, legal status), and the ways in which family members take action to improve their communities. I have an ongoing program to investigate these questions within the downstate Illinois region. Ongoing analyses of the existing Illinois data focus on the ways in which adult lesbians and gay men use rituals to strengthen their families and communities. In addition, we are currently collecting data from lesbian and gay parents and their children that will be used to create educational materials for Extension and other providers. As part of this initiative, we are organizing the Rainbow Illinois Parenting conference.
A related project is my ongoing collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Hardesty on a project looking at intimate partner violence in the lives of lesbian mothers and their children. In addition to documenting the dynamics within these families, we are examining whether or not, why, and with what degree of success, lesbians mothers experiencing IPV seek external support and intervention (e.g., legal and medical systems).
Regarding potential graduate students, I am most interested in recruiting students who want to conduct qualitative and/or mixed methods research into the family lives of lesbians and gay men.
Selected Publications
Hardesty, J., Oswald, R., Khaw, L., Fonseca, C., & Chung, G. (in press). Lesbian mothering in the context of intimate partner violence. Journal of Lesbian Studies.
Oswald, R. (in press). The invisibility of lesbian and gay parents and their children within Adlerian parenting materials. Journal of Individual Psychology.
Chung, G., Oswald, R., & Wiley, A. (2006). Good daughters: Three different ways of being Korean American queer women. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 2 (2), 101-124.
Oswald, R., & Clausell, E. (2005). Same-sex relationships and their dissolution. In M. Fine & J. Harvey (Eds.), Handbook of divorce and relationship dissolution (pp. 499-513). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.
Oswald, R., & Suter, E. (2004). Heteronormative inclusion and exclusion processes during ritual: A “gay” versus “straight” comparison. Journal of Family Issues,25 (7), 881-899.
Oswald, R., Blume, L., & Marks, S. (2004). Decentering heteronormativity: A proposal for family studies. In V. Bengston, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theories and methods: An interactive approach. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Oswald, R., Patterson, C., & Kuvlanka, K. (2004). Fact sheet on same sex marriage. Minneapolis, MN: National Council on Family Relations.
Oswald, R. (Ed.). (2003). Lesbian rites: Symbolic acts and the power of community. Binghamton, NY: Harrington Park Press.
Suter, E., & Oswald, R. (2003). Do lesbians change their last names in the context of a committed same-sex relationship? Journal of Lesbian Studies, 7, 71-83.
Oswald, R. & Culton, L. (2003). Under the rainbow: Rural gay life and its relevance for family providers. Family Relations, 52, 72-79.
Oswald, R. (2002). Inclusion and belonging in the family of origin rituals of gay and lesbian people. Journal of Family Psychology, 16, 428-436.
Oswald, R. (2002). Resilience within the family networks of lesbians and gay men: Intentionality and redefinition. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 374-383.
Oswald, R. (2002). Who am I in relation to them? Gay, lesbian, and queer people leave the city to attend rural family weddings. Journal of Family Issues, 23, 323-348.
Oswald, R. (2001). Religion, family, and ritual: The production of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender outsiders-within. Review of Religious Research, 43, 39-50.
Oswald, R. (2000). A member of the wedding? Heterosexism and family ritual. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 17, 349-368.
Click here for a brochure version aimed at heterosexual loved ones who are planning weddings
Oswald, R., Gebbie, E., & Culton, L. (2000). Report to the community: Rainbow Illinois survey of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in central Illinois. University of Illinois.
Oswald, R. (2000). Family and friendship relationships after young women come out as bisexual or lesbian. Journal of Homosexuality, 38, 65-83.
Honors and Activities
1999 Jesse Bernard Award for Outstanding Contribution to Feminist Scholarship Paper. Given by the National Council on Family Relations
2000 Anselm Strauss Award for Qualitative Methodology. Given by the National Council on Family Relations
1998 - 2004 University of Illinois ' Incomplete List of Teachers Rated as Excellent by their Students, 9 out of 11 semesters taught
2003 Fred Luke Community Service Award for outstanding service to the downstate Illinois GLBT community. Given by the Acorn Equality Fund, Peoria, IL.
2006 Outstanding Research Award for research that promotes the understanding of issues relevant to the GLBT community. Given by the University of Illinois Office for GLBT Concerns.
Leadership
1998 - 2003 Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight Alliance Focus Group, Feminism and Family Studies section, National Council on Family Relations.
2001 - 2003 Secretary/Treasurer, Feminism and Family Studies section, National Council on Family Relations.
2003 - 2005 Chair, Feminism and Family Studies section, National Council on Family Relations.
Editorial Boards
Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies (2002-present).
Journal of Lesbian Studies (2002-2004).
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (2004-present)
Journal of GLBT Family Studies (2004-present)
Courses Taught
HDFS 340: Gender, Relationships, and Society
HCD 591g: Grounded Theory Methodologies