Heather Rackin
Associate Professor
About Me
My research tackles two vital questions: 1) why and how women make fertility decisions; and 2) the subsequent health and well-being ramifications of these choices within the landscape of socioeconomic and racial inequalities.
In research on fertility decision-making, I look at how cognition and life course conditions impact the development and realization of fertility intentions. I’m especially interested in the less examined “squishy” factors (i.e., the highly scientific term for cultural, cognitive, emotional, and identity-related factors). Fertility decisions and their correlates are crucial due to the societal implications of low and declining fertility, like shifts in population size and composition and family dynamics.
I also explore the relationships between fertility, family context, and well-being and/or health. Family plays a prominent role in all peoples lives (from the socioeconomic status one is born into to providing social support) and I document how family and fertility relate to health and well-being within the context of racial and socioeconomic disparities.
As fertility creates societies and family shapes people’s life, understanding its determinants can reveal the underlying forces that dictate societal dynamics and highlight the opportunities and challenges individuals encounter.
Research
Select Publications
Rackin, Heather. 2025. “Beyond Numeric Norms: The Rise and Relevance of Nonnumeric General Ideal Family Size.” SocArXiv, 8 Mar. 2025. Check it out here.
2024. Rackin, Heather, and Gibson-Davis, Christina. “Youth’s Political Identity and Fertility Desires.” Journal of Marriage and Family. Online first. See the preprint here.
2023. Rackin, Heather, Gemmill, Alison, and Hartnet, Caroline Sten. “Environmental Attitudes and Fertility Desires among U.S. Adolescents from 2005-2019." Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 85 (2), pp. 631-644. Check it out here.
2023. Williams, Courtney, Berkowitz, Dana, and Rackin, Heather. “Exploring the Experiences of Pregnant Women in the U.S. During the First Year of the Covid-19 Pandemic.” Journal of Social Issues. Vol. 79, pp. 617–645.
2022. Rackin, Heather and Gibson-Davis, Christina. “Familial Deaths and First Birth Timing.” Population and Development Review. 48(4): 1027-1059.
2018. Rackin, Heather, and Gibson-Davis, Christina. “Social Class Divergence in Family Transitions: The Importance of Cohabitation.” Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 80 (5), pp. 1271-1286.
2018. Rackin, Heather and Morgan, Philip S. “Prospective Versus Retrospective Measurement of Unwanted Fertility.” Demographic Research. Vol. 39 (3), pp. 61-94.
2017. Rackin, Heather, and Gibson-Davis, Christina. “Low-income Childless Young Adults’ Marriage and Fertility Frameworks.” Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 79 (4), pp. 1096-1110.
2017. Rackin, Heather. “Comparing Veteran and Non-veteran Racial Disparities in Health and Well-being.” Population Research and Policy Review. Vol. 36 (3), pp. 331-356.
2016. Rackin, Heather and Brasher, Melanie. “Is Baby a Blessing? Wantedness, Age at First Birth, and Later-life Depression.” Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 78 (5), pp. 1269-1284.
2016. Rackin, Heather and Bachrach, Christine. “Assessing the Predictive Value of Fertility Expectations through a Social-cognitive Model.” Population Research and Policy Review. Vol. 35(4), pp. 527-551.
2014. Gibson-Davis, Christina, and Rackin, Heather. “Marriage or Carriage? Trends in Union Context Birth Type by Education.” Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 76 (3), pp. 506-519.
2012. Rackin, Heather, and Gibson-Davis, Christina. 2012. “The Role of Pre- and Postconception Relationships for First-Time Parents.” Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 74 (3), pp. 526-539
2010. Morgan, Philip S., and Rackin, Heather. “The Correspondence of U.S. Fertility Intentions and Behavior.” Population and Development Review. Vol. 36 (1), pp. 91-118.
Current Research Projects
One project explores why people report specific family size expectations and ideals.
In other projects I'm exploring how exposure to death and violence shapes fertility behavior.
I'm also actively engaged with students on their projects (like exploring how religion impacts first birth).
What I'm doing
Stay up to Date with What’s Happening
Presentations
Come to talks from my students at PAA 2025.
With Naduni Jayasinghe “Dimensions of Environmental Attitudes and General Fertility Ideals.” Sat. April 12 | 2:00 - 3:15
With Courtney Williams "Black–White Divergence in Self-rated Health: The Significance of Pregnancy Loss and Social Context." Sat. April 12 | 2:00 - 3:15
With Shawn Yoo “Beyond Material Conditions: How Subjective Perceptions Shape Fertility Intentions in South Korea.” Sun. April 13 | 8:30 - 10:00
Fun stuff
In my free time I like to do fun stuff like forcing my children to dress up with me and live out my sci-fi dreams.
Also, see the fun stats music videos my students recently did!
Teaching
Courses
Statistics
LSUOnline Statistics
Graduate Stats and Methods
Fertility/Family/Population
Stats Music Videos
The p-value goes down when we enter the building...
Square that chi up
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