Hardy Chair Lecture to Examine Experiences of Pregnant Women in Prison

Hartwick College will host the 2026 Hardy Chair Lecture on Thursday, April 2, at 5 p.m. in the Celebration Room at Shineman Chapel House. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Titled “I Wish I Could Hold Your Hand: Inconsistent Interactions Between Pregnant Women and Prison Officers,” the lecture will be presented by Alicia Suarez, Otto L. Sonder Professor of Sociology at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. Suarez will examine how incarcerated pregnant women experience interactions with prison officers during pregnancy, labor and childbirth, highlighting the challenges and inconsistencies they face within correctional systems.

Her appointment as the Otto L. Sonder Professor of Sociology at DePauw reflects a historical connection to Hartwick. Otto Sonder, a longtime member of Hartwick’s sociology faculty and later professor emeritus, also taught at DePauw University earlier in his career, underscoring a shared academic legacy between the two institutions.

Suarez earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from Indiana University Bloomington. Her teaching and research interests include feminist criminology, the sociology of birth and harm reduction.

The Hardy Chair Lecture, presented by Hartwick’s Department of Sociology, Criminology and Human Services, marks its 53rd anniversary this year. The series brings notable scholars in sociology and criminal justice to campus to address timely issues and share their expertise with the community.

For more information, contact Zachary McKenney, assistant professor of sociology, at mckenneyz@hartwick.edu.