Research Interests

• Critical sexuality studies and critical sexual literacy 

• Temporalities, affect & queer theory 

• Access to higher education for LGBTQ+ people 

• Artificial intelligence, FemTech, and sexual & reproductive health 

• Workplace diversity and inclusion 

• Sexuality, marriage, and economics in the U.S.

Biography

Michelle A. Marzullo, Ph.D. is a practicing anthropologist specializing in critical sexuality studies. She is Chair and Professor for the Human Sexuality Ph.D. Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), leading only the second fully accredited Ph.D. program in the U.S. She leverages her position to be a convener of academics and advocates fostering a critical sexuality studies lens homing in on relationships between power and sexuality, sex and gender. Her research expertise spans four main areas: 

1. LGBTQ access to higher education; 
2. artificial intelligence and sexual & reproductive health; 
3. workplace diversity and inclusion; and 
4. sexuality, marriage, and economics in the U.S. 

She is a mixed methodologist utilizing standard qualitative approaches such as interviews and focus groups, language and discourse analysis, and quantitative approaches to triangulate data sources for answering transdisciplinary questions. Her work spans academic and practical applications, having engaged a wide range of research and consultancy engagements in the realms of public health, diversity & inclusion, policy, higher education, and organizational and technology change efforts. Notable organizations she has engaged with include Ernst & Young, the Point Foundation, International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Child Welfare League of America, California Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research.

Education

Ph.D. in Anthropology (concentration in Race, Gender and Social Justice), American University, Washington, DC 

M.A. Human Sexuality Studies, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 

B.A. in Psychology (minor in Sociology), Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT 

Awards & Distinctions

• 2020 Grand Challenges Canada, $250,000 funding for the AAID Project (Dec. 2020-Dec. 2022) 

• 2010 St. Clair Drake Grant, Society for the Anthropology of North America 

• 2004-2009 Point Foundation Scholarship 

• 2007-2008 American University College of Arts and Sciences Dissertation Research Fellowship 

• 2007 American University GLBTA Resource Center Academic Award 

• 2004 Carlos Enrique Cisneros Scholarship 

• 2001 Genentech Out & Equal Scholarship 

• 2001 Grant Larsen Fellowship

Courses

Sexual Theory and Intersectionality 

Sex, Gender & Reproductive Rights 

Methodology II (Qualitative Research Method) 

Comprehensive Examinations

Publications

Marzullo, M. & W.L. Leap, Eds. (2024). Critical Sexuality Studies, Lavender Languages, and Everyday Life. Bloomsbury.

Marzullo, M. & W.L. Leap (2024). Introduction: Doing Language and Power: Critical Sexuality Studies, Lavender Languages, and Everyday Life. In Critical Sexuality Studies, Lavender Languages, and Everyday Life. Bloomsbury.

Leap, W.L. & Marzullo, M. (2024). Coda: Critical Sexuality Studies and Lavender Languages Inquiry, Working Together in Dialogue. In Critical Sexuality Studies, Lavender Languages, and Everyday Life. Bloomsbury.

Marzullo, M. & G. Herdt (2023). Anthropological foundations of sexuality, health and rights: 1920s-2020s. Routledge Handbook of Sexuality, Health and Rights, 2nd edition. Editors Peter Aggleton, Richard Parker. Routledge.

Marzullo, M. (2023). Partnering to Create Innovative AI Tools for Global Reproductive Freedom. Digital anthropology innovation in methods, tools and education: Call for evidence and ideas. LiiV Center: Digital Innovation in Anthropology & UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000384918.locale=en 

Marzullo, M. (2022). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, M. (2021). Doing critical sexuality studies. In G. Herdt, M. Marzullo, and N. Pollen-Petit (Eds.), Critical Sexual Literacy: Forecasting Trends in Sexual Politics, Diversity and Pedagogy. Pp. 79-90. London: Anthem Press. https://anthempress.com/critical-sexual-literacy-hb 

Herdt, G. and M. Marzullo (2021). Introduction: What we mean by critical sexual literacy. In Critical Sexual Literacy: Forecasting Trends in Sexual Politics, Diversity and Pedagogy. Pp. 1-10. London: Anthem Press. https://anthempress.com/critical-sexual-literacy-hb 

Herdt, G., M. Marzullo, and N. Pollen-Petit (Eds.) (2021). Critical Sexual Literacy: Forecasting Trends in Sexual Politics, Diversity and Pedagogy. London: Anthem Press. https://anthempress.com/critical-sexual-literacy-hb 

Herdt, G. and M. Marzullo (2021). Introduction: What we mean by critical sexual literacy. In Critical Sexual Literacy: Forecasting Trends in Sexual Politics, Diversity and Pedagogy. Pp. 1-10. London: Anthem Press.

Herdt, G., M. Marzullo, and N. Pollen-Petit (Eds.) (2021). Locating Critical Sexuality: Forecasting the Trends of ‘Glocal’ Sexual Literacy. London: Anthem Press.

Marzullo, M. (2021). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, M. (2019 & 2020). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, Michelle A., Jasmine Rault, and T.L. Cowan (2018). “Can I Study You?” Cross-Disciplinary Conversations in Queer Internet Studies. First Monday 23(7). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5210/fm.v23i7.9263 

Marzullo, M. (2018). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, M. (2017). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, Michelle A. (2015). History of LGBT/queer sexuality, North America [not including indigenous]. Patricia Whelehan and Anne Bolin, eds. Sexual Orientations and Identities Section, Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality, pp. 693-699. Wiley-Blackwell. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+International+Encyclopedia+of+Human+Sexuality%2C+3+Volume+Set-p-9781405190060

Marzullo, M. (2015). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, M., K. Emory, J. Goldbarg, A. Richardson and M. Djakaria (2014). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Culture and Tobacco Use: A Literature Review to Inform LGBT Campaign Development, September 30. Washington, DC: Center for Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Marzullo, M., K. Emory, and M. Djakaria (2014). Down and Dirty Campaign: Year 1 Evaluation (FY 13-14), September 22. Richmond, VA: Virginia Foundation for Health Youth.

Marzullo, M. (2014). Point Foundation Strategic Research Program Plan. Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, M. (2014). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, M., and D. McFarland (2013). LGBTQ Access to Higher Education in the U.S. (Research Brief). Los Angeles, CA: Point Foundation.

Marzullo, Michelle A. (2013). Seeking “Marriage Material”: Rethinking the U.S. Marriage Debates Under Neoliberalism. In Feminist Activist Ethnography: Counterpoints to Neoliberalism in North America. Christa Craven and Dána-Ain Davis, eds., pp. 77-100. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, a division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739176368/Feminist-Activist-Ethnography-Counterpoints-to-Neoliberalism-in-North-America 

Marzullo, Michelle A. (2011). Through a Glass Darkly: U.S. Marriage Discourse and Neoliberalism. Journal of Homosexuality 58 (6-7): 758-774. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21740209/

Marzullo, M., and G. Herdt (2011). Marriage Rights and LGBTQ Youth: The Present and Future Impact of Sexuality Policy Changes. With a response by Evan Wolfson. Ethos: Journal of the Society for Psychological Anthropology 39 (4): 526–552. Reprinted in Open Anthropology 1 (1), April 2013. Electronic document at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1352.2011.01204.x/pdf. 

Marzullo, M., and A. Libman (2010). Research Overview: Employment Discrimination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People. Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Washington, DC.

Marzullo, M., and Alyn Libman (2009). Research Overview: Hate Crimes and Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People. Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Washington, DC.

Cooper, A., E. Edelman, K.J. Grant, N. Johnson, K. La Marca, W.L. Leap, and M. Marzullo (authors in alphabetical order) (2009). Beyond the Knowledge/Action Divide: the Race, Gender and Social Justice Concentration in American University’s Department of Anthropology. In A 21st Century Approach to Teaching Social Justice: Educating for Both Advocacy & Action. Richard G. Johnson III., ed. Pp. 55-74. New York: Peter Lang Press.

Woronoff R., R. Estrada, S. Sommer, M. Marzullo, C. Ryan, A.C. Downs, H.J.D. Ambroz, and P. Karys (2006). Out of the Margins: A Report on the Regional Listening Forums Highlighting the Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth in Care. Child Welfare League of America and Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Washington, DC.

Herdt G., S.T. Russell, J. Sweat, and M. Marzullo (2006). Sexual Inequality, Youth Empowerment, and the Gay-Straight Alliance: A Community Study in California. In Sexual Inequalities: Social Justice and Positionality in Sexuality Research. Niels Teunis, ed. Pp. 233-254. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Marzullo, M. (2005). Marriage IS… Discourses of “Tradition” and “Rights for All” in the 1996 U.S. Defense of Marriage Act Debate. Vitruvian Perspectives 1(1): 1-10.

Kharrazi M., G.N. DeLorenze, M. Pearl, D. Domdom, M. Marzullo, S. Graham, J. Pang, and D. Epstein (2003). Impact of different smoking questions on rates of smoking during pregnancy. American Journal of Epidemiology 157:S61.

Pearl, M., M. Kharrazi, G.N. DeLorenze, D. Domdom, J. Caves, M. Marzullo, and A. Hubbard (2003). Feasibility of ascertaining time-to-pregnancy among women obtaining clinical pregnancy confirmation. American Journal of Epidemiology 157:S61.

Marzullo, M. (2002). Structures to Empowerment: Case Study of a Gay/Straight Alliance High School Club. Master’s Thesis, Human Sexuality Studies Department, San Francisco State University.