Dr. Katherine Turk is a distinguished historian whose scholarship has significantly advanced the understanding of women's rights movements in twentieth-century America. She currently serves as Associate Professor of History and Adjunct Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she has established herself as a leading voice in gender history. After earning her doctorate in history with distinction from the University of Chicago in 2011, she began her academic career as a Jerome Hall Postdoctoral Fellow at Indiana University's Maurer School of Law. Dr. Turk's scholarly trajectory has been marked by a consistent commitment to uncovering the complex relationships between legal frameworks, social movements, and everyday lived experiences of gender inequality. Her intellectual journey has positioned her at the forefront of historical scholarship examining how feminist organizing has reshaped American institutions and culture.
Dr. Turk's groundbreaking research is exemplified by her two major monographs that have received significant recognition within the historical profession. Her first book, Equality on Trial: Gender and Rights in the Modern American Workplace (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016), meticulously examines how sex equality law has transformed workplaces while simultaneously reinforcing certain forms of inequality, earning her the prestigious 2017 Mary Nickliss Prize in US Women's and/or Gender History. Her second book, The Women of NOW: How Feminists Built an Organization that Transformed America (2023), represents the first comprehensive history of the National Organization for Women, documenting its founding in 1966 and the pivotal role it played in shaping contemporary American social and political landscapes. This seminal work was recognized by The New Yorker as one of the best books of 2023, highlighting its significance beyond academic circles to broader public understanding of feminist history. Through meticulous archival research and oral history interviews, Dr. Turk has reconstructed the complex dynamics of feminist organizing across race, class, and political differences that have often been overlooked in previous historical accounts.
Beyond her influential publications, Dr. Turk has made substantial contributions to shaping the field of women's history through collaborative scholarship and mentorship. She is currently working with Leandra Zarnow of the University of Houston on a study examining the origins and intellectual development of women's history as an academic discipline. Her research has been generously supported by prestigious organizations including the American Society for Legal History, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, reflecting the high regard in which her scholarly approach is held. As an educator, Dr. Turk has inspired numerous students through her courses on women's history, gender studies, and twentieth-century America, fostering critical engagement with the historical roots of contemporary gender debates. Looking forward, her ongoing research continues to illuminate the intricate connections between feminist activism, legal change, and cultural transformation, ensuring that her scholarship will remain vital to understanding America's evolving gender landscape for generations to come.
