THE BASICS

Chris Babits is a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at Utah State University. He earned his Ph.D. in History from UT-Austin, where he was also an Andrew W. Mellon Engaged Scholar Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow in 2019-2020. Chris is an interdisciplinary scholar of history, religion, medicine, and gender and sexuality.

THE BOOK 

Chris’ book, titled To Cure a Sinful Nation: A History of Conversion Therapy in the United States, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. To Cure a Sinful Nation examines nearly 140 years of gender identity and sexual orientation change efforts. In short, Chris combines the histories of psychology, religion, and gender and sexuality in novel ways to make sense of this messy, complicated history. 

BEFORE TEXAS

Chris earned his BA and MA in History from Clark University. He has worked as a boarding school teacher, academic advisor, museum educator and researcher, and student teaching coordinator. Chris was enrolled in another doctoral program, completing coursework and exams for an Ed.D. in Social Studies Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, before enrolling in UT-Austin’s History Ph.D. program.