Karen Kedrowski, Ph.D.

karenmk1@iastate.edu

Iowa State University

Phone: 515-294-4185

Address: 309 Catt Hall

City: Ames, Iowa - 50011

Country: United States

About Me:

Dr. Kedrowski is the Director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics and Professor of Political Science at Iowa State University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1992, and her B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1986. She is the author of Media Entrepreneurs and the Media Enterprise in the U.S. Congress (1996); coauthor of Cancer Activism (2007) and Breastfeeding Rights in the United States (2008); and author or coauthor of numerous journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews. Previously, Kedrowski spent 24 years at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where she held numerous positions, including chair of the Political Science department and Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. In 2010, she was the visiting Fulbright Chair in Health, Indigenous Peoples, Media, and Education at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Kedrowski has received numerous awards and honors, including Winthrop University's highest award, Distinguished Professor, in 2011.

Research Interests

Gender and Politics

Health Politics and Policy

American Presidency And Executive Politics

Legislative Politics

Political Communication

Countries of Interest

United States

Publications:

Books Written:

(2008) Breastfeeding Rights in the United States, Praeger

The first comprehensive analysis of state and federal breastfeeding laws, regulations, and court cases. The book finds that breastfeeding is a recognized parental right but one that is highly constrained by the rights of competing actors, including employers, fathers, and the public.

(2007) Cancer Activism: Gender, Media and Public Policy, University of Illinois Press

This book compares the breast cancer and prostate cancer movements in the United States and finds that the breast cancer movement is far more successful in garnering media coverage, public policy attention, and research funding. This is the case even though prostate cancer is as prevalent among men as breast cancer is among women. The authors attribute the difference to the large, well organized grassroots movement of breast cancer survivors and advocates.

Media Appearances:

Other:

(2019) Interviews conducted with the following outlets

• The Academic Minute (October 30, 2017) • The Ames (IA) Tribune • Bloomberg News • The Boston Globe • The Bustle (online women’s magazine) • “Carolina Business Review,” (WTVI, regional PBS public affairs television show) • Carolina News • “Charlotte Talks” (regional radio talk show), WFAE (NPR affiliate) • Chicago Tribune • CJAD (Anglophone radio station in Montreal) • CN2 (includes election night commentary in November 2000) • Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report • The Detroit Free Press • “The Danny Fontana Show (nationally syndicated talk show) • Dziennik (largest circulation Polish newspaper) • The (Rock Hill) Herald • The Huffington Post • The Johnsonian • The Lancaster News • KLTF Radio • McClatchy Newspapers (National) • News 14 Carolina TV • Norsk Telegrambyra (Norwegian News Agency) • Oncology Times • “Piedmont Politics” (regional educational television show) • The (Charleston) Post and Courier • Pravda (Slovak daily newspaper) • The Roddey-McMillan Record • SCETV radio • The (Columbia, SC) State • “Straight Talk” (regional radio talk show) on WRHI • Time magazine • United Press International • WalletHub.com (online magazine) • Winthrop News at the Half • Winthrop Close Up • WBTV (includes election night commentary in 2010). • WCNC-TV (NBC-6) • WFAE (Charlotte NPR) • WFVT-TV • WNSC-TV • WSOC-TV • WRHI Radio (includes election night commentary in 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2018) • WWL Radio (New Orleans) • York Observer/Charlotte Observer