One reason that I love Sociology as a discipline is that practically anything can be studied with a sociological lens.”
Maura Fennelly (she/her)
PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology
Maura Fennelly is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Her dissertation focuses on homeowners associations and their modern-day impact. Maura is also the Chicago Research Director of the Chicago Covenants Project, a volunteer-led initiative aimed at identifying and documenting locations in Cook County that were historically subject to racially restrictive covenants, which barred non-white individuals from residing there.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
I study how property ownership shapes social relationships and people's material conditions. My dissertation looks at how, or whether, homeowners associations (HOAs) contribute to housing inequality and residential decision-making. HOAs are mandatory-membership organizations with required rules and fees enforced by an HOA board of directors. Because HOAs regulate property, I'm also curious to learn how they influence people's views of individual property rights.
Tell us what inspired your research and/or work.
I am part of a project called the Chicago Covenants Project, which is a volunteer-led effort working to identify the location of every racial covenant in Cook County. Racial covenants were racist tools used to prohibit people of color from residing in certain residential areas. Through my research, I learned that HOAs were originally designed by developers to maintain white homogeneity through the use of racial covenants. Neighborhood groups and realtors also commonly encouraged the formation of racial covenants.
I am interested in HOAs’ growth over time and what this means for residential life. HOAs have increased tremendously since the 1970s and now around 30% of owners live in them. I want to better understand the transformation of this common housing form and study the modern day outcomes of it.
What do you find both rewarding and challenging about your research and/or work?
One reason that I love Sociology as a discipline is that practically anything can be studied with a sociological lens. With so much open space to study different things, I sometimes get sidetracked in wanting to think about random projects. It's fun to keep a running list of research ideas (e.g., analyzing the New York Times Cooking recipe comments).
How do you unwind after a long day?
I enjoy bouldering, reading fiction, playing pickleball, swimming, taking care of my plants, and exploring the city. I'm also currently enrolled in a photography class at Truman College in Chicago!
What books are on your bedside table?
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead.
What did you originally want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an architect who designs playgrounds.
Publish Date: July 30, 2024
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