She worked at Harvard as a lecturer from 1987 to 1989, as an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania from 1989 to 1996, and as a visiting associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1996 to 2001.
Her academic tenure spanned several notable institutions, including Harvard where she taught as a lecturer (1987-1989), the University of Pennsylvania where she held an assistant professorship in sociology (1989-1996), and the University of California, Los Angeles where she worked as a visiting professor (1996-2001).