Catherine Kohler Riessman

Catherine Kohler Riessman (born 1939) is an American academic known for her work in narrative inquiry, sociology, women’s studies, and social work. She is a research professor in Boston College's Department of Sociology and emerita professor at Boston University. According to Luttrell, Riessman's "imprint on the field of narrative studies is legendary", particularly regarding her "enduring commitment to and practice of researcher 'reflexivity'".

Early life and education Riessman grew up in Northern California and attended a Catholic school. Her family was Republican; her mother worked as an attorney and judge. After her parents' divorce, Riessman moved to New York, where she completed high school at a private school for girls. Following graduation, she attended Bard College, where she learned from Delmore Schwartz, Dwight Macdonald, and Ralph Ellison, among others. She later attended school for social work, then earned her Doctor of Philosophy in sociomedical science from Columbia University in 1977. At age 45, Riessman became a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University.

Riessman published her first book, Divorce Talk, in 1990. She later published three books focused on methodology: Narrative Analysis (1993), Qualitative Studies in Social Work Research (1994), and Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences (2008).

Personal life Riessman was married and has three children.

Books