Dr. Denise Reiling

Short Biography:
Professor Reiling was raised for most of her life on a farm in Indiana. She considers herself to be a working-class academic. Influenced by this background, the teaching of sociology in public high schools is of great interest to her, and has led her to serve as the Michigan High School State Representative to the American Sociological Association. In addition to her teaching and service work, Professor Reiling studies two diverse populations: the Old Order Amish and bartenders, working with both qualitative and quantitative methods. When not with students, bartenders, or Amish people, she spends most of her time with her grandson, Budgie (also known as Elliott), her daughter, Holli, her son-in-law, Brian, and her faithful companion, Mike. She lives in Lenawee County to remain true to her farming roots.

Courses Taught:

• SOCL 105 Introductory Sociology
• SOCL 202 Social Problems
• SOCL 308 Social Psychology
• SOCL 312 Medical Sociology
• SOCL 379 Special Topics in the Sociology of Mental Disorder
• SOCL 677 Advanced Methods of Social Research
  

Research Interests:
The relationship between culture, social identity, and mental health among the Old Order Amish; the relationship between social identity and weight management among Old Order Amish women; bartenders’ willingness to over-serve; the impact of the designated driver campaign on bartenders’ willingness to over-serve despite awareness of other types of alcohol-related harm; the teaching of sociology in public and private high schools.