Catherine Pakaluk, Ph.D.
Senior Fellow
Catherine R. Pakaluk is senior fellow at the CRCD, and founder of the Social Research academic area in the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America, where she is an Assistant Professor of Social Research and Economic Thought.
Pakaluk’s research expertise includes applied microeconomics, the economics of education and religion, family studies and demography, Catholic social thought, and political economy. Her work has been published in academic journals as well as popular outlets, including Journal of Markets & Morality, Demography, Economic Inquiry, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Public Discourse, and America magazine. She is also a frequent speaker, addressing issues of culture, gender, social science, and the vocation of women.
Prior to her work at The Catholic University of America, Pakaluk taught at Ave Maria University and she also previously served as a research fellow at the Stein Center for Social Research.
Pakaluk did her undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.
Our Vision
The Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy envisions democratic societies which affirm the essential role of religious convictions, peoples, and institutions in cultivating free and flourishing communities.
Our Mission
To achieve our vision, the CRCD supports the creation and promotion of high quality scholarship at the intersection of religion, culture, and democracy. Our publications, programming, and resources affirm the importance of religion as a public good for strengthening social bonds and reinforcing foundational freedoms.