Rourke O’Brien

Rourke O'Brien's picture
Associate Professor of Sociology
Education: 
Ph.D. Sociology & Social Policy, Princeton University, 2014
A.B. Social Studies, Harvard University, 2006
Areas of Interest: 
Inequality, Demography, Health, Economic Sociology, Social Policy
Address: 
493 College Street, Room 306
Phone number: 
203-436-4014
Email: 
Rourke.obrien@yale.edu

Rourke O’Brien is on sabbatical for the fall 2024 semester.

Office Hours:  https://calendly.com/rourke-obrien/office-hours

Rourke O’Brien is Associate Professor of Sociology & and of Public Health–Health Policy (secondary) at Yale University. His research examines the causes and consequences of inequality in rich democracies with a focus on public and household finance, economic mobility and population health. He is coauthor of Taxing the Poor (UC Press) and his research has appeared in academic journals in sociology (American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, Demography), economics and business (Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Marketing Research), and medicine (JAMA IM, PLOS Med). 
 
Rourke previously served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and his policy writing has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post.  He received a B.A. from Harvard University, a Ph.D. in Sociology & Social Policy from Princeton University and completed a RWJF Health & Society postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard.