~ RGVRC Affiliate Scholar ~

Margaret Kelley is a professor of American studies at the University of Kansas whose research examines gun ownership, gun culture, and gun policy through sociological and ethical perspectives. She is the author of A Gun of Her Own: The Everyday Lives of Women Gun Owners (2026), which draws on national survey data, in-depth interviews, and ethnographic research to examine how women think about protection, risk, responsibility, and the use of firearms in everyday life. The book introduces a “care mindset” framework that shows how gun-related decisions are often shaped by relational obligations and practical judgment rather than fixed political identities.

Building on this work, Kelley has published a series of peer-reviewed articles on gun ownership and gun policy that speak directly to contemporary policy debates. Her recent journal publications examine public support for red flag laws and removing guns from compromised owners; patterns of gun ownership following violent victimization and sexual assault; women’s empowerment and concealed carry; the role of religion and belief systems in shaping gun policy attitudes; racialized beliefs and gun ownership; and veterans’ perspectives on firearm regulation. Her research appears in journals including Sociological Perspectives, Sociological Inquiry, Social Science Quarterly, Violence and Victims, International Journal of Crime, Law, and Justice, and the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Kelley’s broader research agenda uses mixed methods—including the Guns in American Life Survey, qualitative interviews, and ethnographic fieldwork—to bring attention to voices often missing from gun policy discussions. Her work offers empirically grounded, people-centered approaches to understanding firearms, violence, and public life in the United States.