What is The Daminger Dispatch?

Short answer: A sociologist’s take on gender, family, and parenting.

Longer answer: I’m a gender and family sociologist, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of the forthcoming book (September 2025) What’s on Her Mind: The Mental Workload of Family Life. My writing usually ends up in academic journals, behind a paywall and thus inaccessible to folks outside the ivory tower. But I know (from years of dinner parties, cocktail hours, and other conversations) that the things I’ve learned about gender and relationships resonate with just about anyone who is, has been, or will someday become part of a romantic partnership.

The Daminger Dispatch is the forum where I get to translate my training as a scholar into language that’s accessible to those who haven’t taken a social theory course. I often write about household labor (including cognitive and emotional labor). But I’ve also covered the Planner Moms of Youtube, the concept of “gatekeeping,” and advice on moving in with your partner.

Whether you’re dating, cohabiting, co-parenting, or none of the above, my hope is that you’ll find something you can relate to in these dispatches. I also hope to help you look at your everyday life in a new way. To that end, I welcome questions, comments, and feedback. Curious about a new term you’ve been hearing? Unsure whether it’s normal to be frustrated with your partner about X?

Email me: Allison dot daminger at gmail dot com

Learn more: allisondaminger.com