The social construction of birth and death

Katie Knop, Ph.D. joined the Honors College faculty in 2026, where she teaches "Clash of Ideas" (HONR 460), "Introduction to Academic Writing" (HONR 230), and "Research Writing & Critical Thinking" (HONR 240). Prior to joining the Honors College, she served as an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Public Health at Wingate University in North Carolina, where she taught a diverse range of courses.

Katie’s research explores how individuals and societies make meaning of birth and death, with a particular interest in the cultural representations of these pivotal life events. She earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology, with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, from the University of Missouri. Much of her scholarship focuses on the multifaceted roles of doulas in childbirth and how their work intersects with the growing biomedicalization of birth.

Outside of academia, Katie enjoys reading, gardening, thrifting and exploring new coffee shops.