E-Mail    kallen@vt.edu

Mailing Address  401C Wallace Hall (0416)
                              Blacksburg, VA 24061

               Phone    540-231-6526

                   Fax    540-231-7012

     Office Hours    By appointment
  

 

Primary Academic Interests

• Family Diversity Over The Life Course
• Family Gerontology
• Feminism and Family Studies
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Families
• Passionate Scholarship
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Women’s and Minorities’ Persistence in Higher Education
• Women’s Studies

 

Professional Roles and Responsibilities

• Chair, Human Development Graduate Committee, Virginia Tech
• Faculty Affiliate, Center for Gerontology, Virginia Tech
  
• Faculty Affiliate, Women's Studies Faculty, Virginia Tech
  
• Past Chair, Virginia Tech Academy of Teaching Excellence
  
• Fellow, Gerontological Society of America
• Charter Fellow, National Council on Family Relations
• Editorial Board Member:
    Journal of Marriage and Family
    Family Relations
    Journal of Family Issues
    Journal of GLBT Family Studies

 

Current Research

• Aging and Gender in Families
• College Students’ Perceptions about Sexuality
• Family Diversity and Older Adults
• Feminist and Critical Race Pedagogy
  
• Parenthood and Adoption in Diverse Families
• Persistence of Women in Computer Related Majors
• Sibling Ties in Midlife

 

Selected Publications and Presentations

Flemke, K., & Allen, K. R. (2008). Women’s experience of rage: A critical feminist analysis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 34. 

Singh, K., Allen, K. R., Scheckler, R., & Darlington, L. (2007). Women in computer related majors: A critical synthesis of research and theory from 1994-2005. Review of Educational Research, 77.

Allen, K. R. (2007). Ambiguous loss after lesbian couples with children break up: A case for same-sex divorce. Family Relations.

Goldberg, A. E., & Allen, K. R. (2007). Imagining men: Lesbian mothers’ perceptions of male involvement during the transition to parenthood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69, 352-365

Recipient of the 2007 Jessie Bernard Outstanding Contribution to Feminist Scholarship Paper Award, conferred by the Feminism and Family Studies Section of the National Council on Family Relations.

Lloyd, S. A., Few, A. L., & Allen, K. R. (2007). Feminist theory, methods and praxis in family studies. Journal of Family Issues, 28, 1-5.

Roberto, K. A., Blieszner, R., & Allen, K. R. (2006). Theorizing in family gerontology: New opportunities for research and practice. Family Relations, 55, 513-525.

Fruhauf, C. A., Jarrott, S. E., & Allen, K. R. (2006). Grandchildren’s perceptions of caring for grandparents. Journal of Family Issues, 27, 887-911.

Benson, M. J., Allen, K. R., Few, A. L., Roberto, K. A., Blieszner, R., Meszaros, P. S., & Henderson, T. L. (2006). Transforming the Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Science. Family Relations, 55, 44-55.

Humble, A., Solomon, C. R., Allen, K. R., Blaisure, K. R., & Johnson, M. P. (2006). Feminism and mentoring of graduate students. Family Relations, 2-15.

Philaretou, A. G., & Allen, K. R. (2006). Researching sensitive topics through autoethnographic means. Journal of Men’s Studies, 14, 65-78.

Philaretou, A. G., Mahfouz, A. Y., & Allen, K. R. (2005). Use of Internet pornography and men’s well-being. International Journal of Men’s Health, 4, 149-169.

Beitin, B. K., & Allen, K. R. (2005). Resilience in Arab American couples after September 11, 2001: A systems perspective. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 31, 251-267.

Recipient of the Anselm Strauss Award for the Best Qualitative Family Research Article published in 2005; conferred by the Research and Theory Section of the National Council on Family Relations.

Beitin, B. K., & Allen, K. R. (2005). A multilevel approach to integrating social justice and family therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 24, 19-34.

Piercy, F. P., Giddings, V., Allen, K. R., Dixon, B., Meszaros, P., & Joest, K. (2005). Improving campus climate to support faculty diversity and retention: A pilot program for new faculty. Innovative Higher Education, 30, 55-69.

Philaretou, A. G., & Allen, K. R. (2005). The cabaret sex industry in the Republic of Cypus: An exploratory investigation of Greek-Cypriot male cabaret patronage. Sexuality & Culture, 9, 49-61.

Allen, K. R. (2004). Janet Saltzman Chafetz plenary discussant comments. Journal of Family Issues, 25, 984-989.

Joest, K. S., & Allen, K. R. (2003). Classwomb technology: Connecting high tech classrooms with feminist family studies. Journal of Teaching in Marriage & Family, 3, 139-177.

Philaretou, A. G., & Allen, K. R. (2003). Macro and micro dynamics of male sexual anxiety: Theory and intervention. International Journal of Men’s Health, 2, 201-220.

Floyd-Thomas, S. M., Gillman, L., & Allen, K. R. (2002). Interdisciplinarity as self and subject: Metaphor and transformation. Issues in Integrative Studies, 20, 1-26.

Boler, M., & Allen, K. R. (2002). Whose naming whom: Using independent video to teach about the politics of representation. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 30 (1 & 2), 255-270.

Allen, K. R., Floyd-Thomas, S. M., & Gillman, L. (2001). Teaching to transform: From volatility to solidarity in an interdisciplinary family studies classroom. Family Relations, 50, 317-325.

Allen, K. R. (2001). Feminist visions for transforming families: Desire and equality then and now. Journal of Family Issues, 22, 791-809.

Allen, K. R. (2001). Finding new paths to family scholarship: A response to James White and Sheila Marshall. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 899-901.

Allen, K. R. (2001). Making the world safe for difference. Marriage and Family Review, 31, 193-302.

Roberto, K. A., Allen, K. R., & Blieszner, R. (2001). Grandfathers’ perceptions and expectations of relationships with their adult grandchildren. Journal of Family Issues, 22, 407-426.

Philaretou, A. & Allen, K. (2001). Reconstructing masculinity and sexuality. Journal of Men’s Studies, 9, 301-321. 

Roberto, K. A., Allen, K. R., & Blieszner, R. (2001). Older adults’ preferences for future care: Formal plans & family support. Applied Developmental Sciences, 5, 112-120.

Allen, K. R., Blieszner, R., & Roberto, K. A. (2000). Families in the middle and later years: A review and critique of research in the 1990s. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 911-926.

Allen, K. R. (2000). A conscious and inclusive family studies. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 4-17.
 
Book Chapters:

Allen, K. R., Few, A. L., & Lloyd, S. A. (forthcoming). The impact of feminist theory on the field of family studies. In S. A. Lloyd, A. L. Few, & K. R. Allen (Eds.), Handbook of feminist family studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Few, A. L., & Allen, K. R. (forthcoming). “I’ve got your back”: Feminist synergy in the co-mentoring partnership of Black and White women colleagues. In S. A. Lloyd, A. L. Few, & K. R. Allen (Eds.), Handbook of feminist family studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Allen, K. R., & Walker, A. J. (forthcoming). Theorizing about families and aging from a feminist perspective. In V. L. Bengtson, M. Silverstein, N. M. Putney, & D. Gans (Eds.), Handbook of theories of aging. New York: Springer. 

Allen, K. R., & Kilkelly, A. (forthcoming). Interrogating white privilege. In L. B. Blume & L. A. De Reus (Eds.), Social economic and environmental justice: Speaking out and standing up for families.

Philaretou, A. G., & Allen, K. R. (2007). Male sexual anxiety. In M. Flood, J. K. Gardiner, B. Pease, & K. Pringle (Eds.), Routledge international encyclopedia on men and masculinities (RIEMM), Vol. 1. London: Routledge.

Allen, K. R., & Beitin, B. K. (2007). Gender and class in culturally diverse families. In B. Sherif-Trask & R. Hamon (Eds.), Culturally diverse families: Expanding perspectives (63-79). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Allen, K. R., & Walker, A. J. (2006). Aging and gender in families: A very grand opening. In T. M. Calasanti & K. F. Slevin (Eds.), Age matters: Re-aligning feminist thinking (pp. 155-174). New York: Routledge.

Allen, K. R. (2006). Passionate teaching: Balancing privilege and pleasure. In E. S. Geller & P. K. Lehman (Eds.), Teaching excellence at a research-centered university: Energy, empathy, and engagement in the classroom (pp. 7-13).  Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Allen, K. R., & Piercy, F. P. (2005). Feminist autoethnography. In D. Sprenkle & F. P. Piercy (Eds.), Research methods in family therapy (2nd ed., pp. 155-169). New York: Guilford.

Allen, K. R. (2005). Gay and lesbian elders. In M. Johnson, V. L. Bengtson, P. Coleman, & T. Kirkwood (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of age and aging (pp. 283-489). Cambridge,UK: Cambridge University Press.

Allen, K. R. (2005). Families facing the challenges of diversity. In P. McKenry & S. J. Price, Families & change: Coping with stressful events and transitions (3rd ed., pp. 285-305). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Bengtson, V. L., Acock, A. C., Allen, K. R., Dilworth-Anderson, P., & Klein, D. M. (2005). Theory and theorizing in family research: Puzzle building and puzzle solving. In V. Bengtson, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory & research (pp. 3-33).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Acock, A. C., Van Dulmen, M. H., Allen, K. R., & Piercy, F. P. (2005). Contemporary and emerging research methods in studying families. In V. Bengtson, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory & research  (pp. 59-89). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Walker, A. J., Allen, K. R., & Connidis, I. A. (2005). Theorizing and studying sibling ties in adulthood. In V. Bengtson, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory & research  (pp. 167-190). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Bengtson, V. L., Allen, K. R., Klein, D. M., Dilworth-Anderson, P., & Acock, A. C. (2005). Controversies and firestorms: An epilogue. In V. Bengtson, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory & research  (pp. 613-630). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Allen, K. R. (2005). Spotlight on theory: Pushing the boundaries of the Sourcebook. In V. Bengtson, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory & research  (pp.628-629). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Allen, K. R. (2004). Feminist visions for transforming families. In M. Coleman & L. H. Ganong (Eds.), The handbook of contemporary families: Considering the past, contemplating the future (pp. 192-206). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Allen, K. R., & Walker, A. W. (2000). Constructing gender in families. In R. M. Milardo & S. Duck (Eds.), Families as relationships (pp. 1-17). Chichester, England: Wiley.

Allen, K. R., & Walker, A. J. (2000). Qualitative research. In C. Hendrick & S. S. Hendrick (Eds.), Close relationships: A sourcebook (pp. 19-30). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Books:

Lloyd, S. A., Few, A. L., & Allen, K. R. (forthcoming). Handbook of feminist family studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Bengtson, V. L., Acock, A. C., Allen, K. R., Dilworth-Anderson, P., & Klein, D. M. (Eds.). (2005). Sourcebook of family theory & research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 

Demo, D. H., Allen, K. R., & Fine, M. A. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of family diversity. New York: Oxford University Press.

Baber, K. M., & Allen, K. R. (1992). Women and families: Feminist reconstructions. New York: Guilford.

Allen, K. R. (1989). Single women/Family ties: Life histories of older women. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

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