Jennifer Carlson (sociologist)

Jennifer Carlson is an American sociologist specializing in the study of guns, gender, and politics. She is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Arizona, where she also holds affiliations with the School of Government and Public Policy and the Gender and Women’s Studies Department.

Carlson's research focuses on the social and political meanings of guns, particularly how these meanings are shaped by gender, race, class, and place. She is known for her ethnographic research methods, often conducting in-depth interviews and observations within gun shops, shooting ranges, and gun-related events. Her work explores how gun ownership is experienced and justified by different groups, examining the emotional, psychological, and symbolic dimensions of gun culture.

Carlson is the author of several books, including Citizen-Protectors: The Everyday Politics of Guns in an Age of Decline (Oxford University Press, 2015), which examines how gun owners in economically distressed areas understand their right to bear arms as a form of protection against societal breakdown. She also authored Policing the Second Amendment: Guns, Law Enforcement, and the Politics of Race (Princeton University Press, 2020), a study of how police officers interpret and enforce gun laws, revealing how race shapes these interactions. Her most recent book is Merchants of the Right: Gun Dealers and the Crisis of American Democracy (Princeton University Press, 2024), analyzing the role of gun dealers in shaping American gun culture and politics.

Carlson’s work has been featured in numerous academic journals and popular media outlets. She is frequently sought after as an expert commentator on issues related to guns, gun control, and gun violence in the United States. Her research contributes to broader discussions about citizenship, social inequality, and the role of the state in regulating violence.