Dr. J. Michael Ryan is an Associate Professor of Sociology. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Maryland (United States of America) in 2013. Dr. Ryan was previously a researcher for the TransRights Project at The University of Lisbon (Portugal) and has taught courses at The American University in Cairo (Egypt), Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) (Ecuador) and the University of Maryland. Before returning to academia, Dr. Ryan worked as a research methodologist at the National Center for Health Statistics (which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in Washington, D.C. where he led multiple projects aimed at improving national statistical survey methodology.

Dr. Ryan is the author (with Serena Nanda) of COVID-19: Social inequalities and human possibilities (2022). He is the (co-)editor of more than 15 volumes including Pandemic Pedagogies: Teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic (2023), COVID-19: Global pandemic, societal responses, ideological solutions (2021), COVID-19: Social consequences and cultural adaptations (2021), Trans Lives in a Global(-izing) World: Rights, identities, and politics (2020), Essential Concepts in Sociology (2019), Gender in the Middle East and North Africa: Contemporary Issues and Challenges (with Helen Rizzo, 2020), and The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory (with Bryan Turner et. al., 2018). He has also served as advisory editor on The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies and is the founding editor of Routledge’s The COVID-19 Pandemic Series.

Dr. Ryan’s research interests lie primarily within the areas of social scientific responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, trans identity (especially in relation to survey research), and genders and sexualities. His dissertation was an investigation into how to improve survey measurement among sexual minorities, with a particular emphasis on trans respondents. His subsequent work has examined various facets of trans lives and comparative analyses of global socio-legal frameworks for the recognition of trans identities, among other topics. His work has appeared in the Journal of Gender Studies, the Journal of Language and Sexuality, the LGBTQ Policy Journal, and Social Thought & Research, among others. Dr. Ryan’s current research projects include examining national responses to the global COVID-19 pandemic, changing religious influences on attitudes toward same-sex sexual relations and civil liberties for sexual minorities, and a theoretical exploration of the contemporary meanings of the sexed and gendered aspects of personhood in an increasingly globalizing world.

Monographs:

Ryan, J. Michael and Serena Nanda. 2022. COVID-19: Social inequalities and human possibilities. London: Routledge.

Edited and co-edited volumes:

Cockerham, William, Stella Quah, Jonathan Gabe, and J. Michael Ryan (eds.). (expected in 2024). The Wiley Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society. London: Wiley.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2023. Pandemic Pedagogies: Teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2023. COVID-19: Surviving a pandemic. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2023. COVID-19: Individual rights and community responsibilities. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2023. COVID-19: Cultural change and institutional adaptations. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2021. COVID-19: Volume II: Social consequences and cultural adaptations. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2021. COVID-19: Volume I: Global pandemic, societal responses, ideological solutions. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2020. Trans Lives in a Global(izing) World: Rights, Identities, and Politics. London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. and Helen Rizzo (eds.). 2020. Gender in the Middle East and North Africa: Contemporary Issues and Challenges. Boulder, CO: Lynne-Rienner Publishers.

          -*2020 Choice Outstanding Academic Title*-

Ryan, J. Michael. (ed.). 2019. Core Concepts in Sociology. London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Turner, Bryan, Peter Kivisto, William Outhwaite, Chang Kyung-Sup, Cynthia Epstein, and J. Michael Ryan (eds.). 2017. The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory. London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Cook, Daniel T. and J. Michael Ryan (eds.). 2015. The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Consumption and Consumer Studies. London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Ritzer, George and J. Michael Ryan (eds.). 2012-2016. The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization Online. (annual updates co-editor)

Ritzer, George and J. Michael Ryan (eds.). 2012-2016. Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Online. Available online at: http://www.sociologyencyclopedia.com (annual updates co-editor)

Ritzer, George and J. Michael Ryan (eds.). 2011. The Blackwell Concise Encyclopedia of Sociology. London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Selected peer-reviewed journal articles:

Corsi, Marcella, and J. Michael Ryan. 2022. “What does the COVID-19 Crisis Reveals about Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences,” International Review of Sociology special issue on “What does the COVID-19 pandemic reveal about interdisciplinarity in social sciences?”. Vol 32 (1): 1-9. DOI: 10.1080/03906701.2022.2064695

Moore, Laura, Amy Adamczyk, J. Michael Ryan, and Seth Ovadia. 2021. “A Multilevel Analysis of the Changing Religious Influence on Americans’ Attitudes towards Same-Sex Sexual Relations and Civil Liberties for Certain Sexual Minorities, 1973-2016,” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol 60, Issue 2: 400-423. DOI: 10.1111/jssr.12718

Ryan, J. Michael and Yenlik Dairova. 2021. “Sex/Gender Identity Laws in Kazakhstan: Reviews and recommendations,” LGBTQ Policy Journal, Vol. X, Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School.

Ryan, J. Michael. 2020. “Born Again?: (Non-) Motivations to alter official sex/gender identity markers on birth certificates,” Journal of Gender Studies, 29(3): 269-281. DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2019.1631148

Ryan, J. Michael. 2020. “Expressing Identity: Toward an understanding of how trans individuals navigate the barriers and opportunities of official identity,” Journal of Gender Studies, 29(3):  349-360. DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2019.1570841

Ryan, J. Michael. 2019. “The Problematics of Assessing Trans Identity in Survey Research: A Modest Proposal for Improving Question Design” Societies 9(4). DOI: 10.3390/soc9040085

Ryan, J. Michael. 2019. “Communicating Trans Identity: Toward an understanding of the selection and significance of gender identity-based terminology,” Journal of Language and Sexuality 8(2): 221-241. DOI: 10.1075/jls.19001.rya

Ryan, J. Michael. 2019. “Transgender Warrior & Elder: An interview with Jessica Xavier,” LGBTQ Policy Journal, Vol. IX, Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School: 17-22.

Ryan, J. Michael. 2018. “Gender Identity Laws: The legal status of global sex/gender identity recognition,” LGBTQ Policy Journal, Vol VIII,  Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School: 3-16.

Selected book chapters:

Ryan, J. Michael. 2022. “Global Consciousness of COVID-19: Where can we go from here?,” In Creative Resilience and COVID-19: Figuring the everyday in a pandemic, Irene Gammel and Jason Wang (eds.). London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. 2021. “Trans Celebrity: An examination of the pros and cons of the trans spokesperson,” in Beyond Binaries: Trans identities in contemporary culture, John Lamonthe (ed.) Washington, D.C.: Lexington Publishers

Ryan, J. Michael. 2021. “The SARS CoV-2 Virus and the COVID-19 Pandemic,” in COVID-19: Social consequences and cultural adaptations, J. Michael Ryan (ed.). London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. 2021. “The Blessings of COVID-19 for Neoliberalism, Nationalism, and Neoconservative Ideologies,” in COVID-19: Global pandemic, societal responses, ideological solutions, J. Michael Ryan (ed.). London: Routledge.

Ryan, J. Michael. 2020. “Queer Theory,” in The Wiley Companion to Sexuality Studies, Nancy Naples (ed.). London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Ryan, J. Michael and Helen Rizzo. 2020. “Rethinking Gender in the Contemporary Middle East and North Africa,” In Gender in the Middle East and North Africa: Contemporary issues and challenges,” J. Michael Ryan and Helen Rizzo (eds.). Boulder, CO: Lynne-Rienner Publishers.

Ryan, J. Michael. 2020. “Female Circumcision: Cultural imperialism or excessive moral relativism?,” in Gender in the Middle East and North Africa: Contemporary issues and challenges,” J. Michael Ryan and Helen Rizzo (eds.). Boulder, CO: Lynne-Rienner Publishers.

SOC210 Gender and Society;

SOC310/510/710: Social Inequality;

SOC318: Sexuality and Gender in a Transnational World;

SOC325/525/725: COVID-19: Sociocultural aspects of a pandemic;

SOC514/EAS506/PLS514: Qualitative Methods