Jessamin Birdsall

Education

Regent College

Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies, 2024

Princeton University

Ph.D., Sociology and Social Policy, 2021

Princeton University

M.A., Sociology, 2017

Harvard University

B.A., Sociology, 2010

Biography

Dr. Birdsall holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy from Princeton University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of religion, race and ethnicity, social boundaries, and inequality. Current projects explore white evangelical political engagement in the US and evangelical attitudes towards racial diversity in the UK.

Prior to teaching at Wheaton, Dr. Birdsall spent two years at Regent College, integrating theological study with her sociological training and serving as a Scholar-in-Residence. Dr. Birdsall has previously worked in program development and research and evaluation for non-governmental and faith-based organizations in Delhi and London. She and her husband also served at L'Abri Fellowship in England.

A Third Culture Kid, Dr. Birdsall grew up between Japan and the US. She is passionate about bringing sociological insight and biblical truth together to understand and address pressing contemporary issues around identity, inter-group relations, church life, and political engagement.

Areas of Expertise

Religion
Evangelicalism
Race and ethnicity
Immigration
Inequality
Qualitative methods
Applied sociology

Selected publications

Healing the divides: How every Christian can advance God's vision for racial justice and unity (with Jason Roach). 2022. Good Book Company.
"The Meaning of 'Woke" is Changing." Premier Christianity. July 2022.
"Comfort, Fear, and Hospitality: Reflections on My Time with Trump Voters" in Keeping the Faith: Reflections on Politics & Christianity in the era of Trump & Beyond. 2020. Middletown, DE: KTF Press LLC.
"Evangelicals, Race & the Gospel" Evangelicals Now. December 2017.
"White Evangelicals for Trump" Books and Ideas. November 2016.

Professional affiliations

American Sociological Association
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion

Courses taught

Introduction to Sociology
Sociology of Religion
Social Life of Cities

Research

Dr. Birdsall's research interests lie at the intersection of religion, race and ethnicity, social boundaries, and inequality. She has conducted research in the US, US, India, and Fiji.