Nancy Mezey holds a B.A. in Sociology from Vassar College and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Michigan State University. Working with her department, she developed both the Sociology major and minor at Monmouth University. In her area of family sociology with a focus on LGBTQ and intersectional studies, Dr. Mezey taught a broad spectrum of courses in sociology and was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award in 2011. Dr. Mezey’s scholarly work includes two books, and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, book reviews, and professional presentations. In retirement, she continues her work on an ongoing documentary project titled, The 369th: Together, We Rose. Dr. Mezey’s administrative experience at Monmouth includes serving as the Coordinator/Director of the Sociology Program, Curriculum Coordinator and Director of Gender Studies, Chair of Faculty Council, Associate Director and later Director of the original Institute of Global Understanding, Associate Dean of the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dean of the Honors School. As an active member of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Dr. Mezey has served in numerous positions including President, Vice President, and Chair of Division Chairs. Prior to coming to Monmouth, Dr. Mezey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, West Africa, a pivotal experience that profoundly shaped her career.

Education

Ph.D., Michigan State University

Research Interests

Dr. Mezey’s research focuses on how historical factors, social inequalities, social activism, and policies shape and affect families, communities, and larger society. She is currently the principle investigator and executive producer of “My Buddy: The 369^th WWII Documentary Project” (https://guides.monmouth.edu/mybuddy).

Books

• Nancy J. Mezey. 2015. LGBT Families. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Nancy J. Mezey. 2008.  New Choices, New Families: How Lesbians Decide about Motherhood.  The Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Book Chapters

• Nancy Mezey. 2018. “LGBTQ Families” in Shifting the Center: Understanding Contemporary Families, edited by Susan J. Ferguson. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Nancy J. Mezey, Tina Maschi, and George Leibowitz. 2017. Revision of “Families as a System in Forensic Practice” in Forensic Social Work: Psychosocial and Legal Issues in Diverse Practice Settings, edited by Tina Maschi and George Leibowitz.  New York: Springer Publishing Company, pp. 137-151.
• Nancy J. Mezey. 2016. “Deciding Whether to Parent” in The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies, edited by Abbie Goldberg. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., pp. 285-289.
• Nancy J. Mezey. 2014. “Becoming a Sociologist in Action through Theory and Practice: A Personal Journey” in Sociologists in Action: Race, Class and Gender, edited by Kathleen O. Korgen, Jonathan M. White, and Shelley K. White. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., pp. 151-156.
• Nancy J. Mezey. 2013. “How Lesbians/Gay Men Decide to be Parents or Remain Childfree” in LGBT-Parent Families: Possibilities for New Research and Implications for Practice, edited by Abbie E. Goldberg and Katherine R. Allen.  New York: Springer Publishing Company, pp. 59-70

Scholarly Articles

• Nancy J. Mezey. 2008.  “The Privilege of Coming Out:  Race, Class, and Lesbians’ Mothering Decisions.” The International Journal of Sociology of the Family. 34(2)(Autumn): 257-276. 
• Nancy J. Mezey. 2005. “Conducting Multiracial Feminist Family Research: Challenges and Rewards of Recruiting a Diverse Sample.” In Michigan Family Review. 10:45-65
• Nancy J. Mezey, Lori A. Post, and Christopher D. Maxwell. 2002. “Redefining Intimate Partner Violence: Women’s Experiences with Physical Violence and Non-Physical Abuse by Age.”  In International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 22(7/8):122-149.