Selected Academic Publications
My research focuses on the experiences and perspectives of children, parents,
and families that create social media content, as well as how their content
shapes popular ideas about childhood, parenthood, and family life.
Cates, L., & Guzmán, L. (2025). #BadMomsOfTikTok: How mothers engage social media to subvert notions of intensive mothering. In E. Podnieks & H. Wahlström Henriksson (Eds.), Palgrave handbook on parenthood in popular culture. Palgrave Macmillan.
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Cates, L. (2025). Review of the book The Platformization of the Family: Towards a Research Agenda by Julian Sefton-Green, Kate Mannell, and Ola Erstad (Eds.), International Journal of Communication, 19.
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Cates, L. (In press). Review of the book Child Influencers by Crystal Abidin, Celebrity Studies.
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Cates, L., & Jordan, A. (Commissioned; in progress). Family communication in the age of content creation. Book chapter in A. Thorson, C. Alvarez, & J. Bowman (Eds.), Routledge.
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Cates, L. (In progress). Family brand: An analysis of content creator families' tagged Instagram posts.
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Cates, L., Ali, C., Jordan, A., & Katz, V. (Under review). Reclaiming our time: How U.S. undergraduates experienced online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.​
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Selected Journalistic Publications
Before graduate school, I worked as a journalist. I wrote in-depth stories about how children and families experience and resist social challenges, including educational inequality and unaffordable child care. I also covered popular culture, writing celebrity profiles and music reviews.
children and families
Cates, L. (2022, July 12). 'The fund just keeps getting bigger': Nebraskans denied help as state stockpiles $108M in federal funds. NOISE Omaha / The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2022, September 6). This is your brain on poverty: Omaha is one site in nationwide study. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2022, April 10). Some In-Need Nebraskans Banned From Food, Family Assistance. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.
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Cates, L. (2022, February 23). The ‘problem of poverty’ among Nebraska’s child care providers. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.​
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Cates, L. (2021, October 7). Falling through the cracks: Catherine Brauer’s kids returned from day care hungry and bruised, but she sent them there for a better future. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.
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Cates, L. (2021, September 7). Caught in a culture war, Nebraska trans kids fight for acceptance. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, September 2). When Low-Income Parents Work Long Hours, Where Do Their Kids Go? The Reader / Omahajobs.com.​​
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Cates, L. (2021, July 8). Breaking down STEM barriers for girls. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, March 8). The fight to change social studies in Nebraska. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2022, May 23). Being poor is pricey: Melissa Connelly is a single mom who can’t afford to get a job. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.
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Cates, L. (2021, March 4). With ample funds, Nebraska refuses to help 90% of struggling families. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.
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politics and community
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​Cates, L. (2022, January 6). Edging toward employment equity. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.
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Cates, L. (2021, December 2). New petition drive fights for a living wage in Nebraska. The Reader / Omahajobs.com.
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Cates, L. (2021, June 1). Queer Nebraska: A timeline. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, May 6). Racism drives some BIPIOC to flee state. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, April 21). Student journalists spotlight climate change. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, March 31). Nebraska’s progressive women fight for their place in politics. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, March 24). Meet the candidates of Omaha's District 5. The Reader.
popular culture
Cates, L. (2022, August 22). Wilco's Nels Cline opens up. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2021, January 11). The 20 best albums released by women in 2020. The Reader.
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Cates, L. (2020, December 7). Ramengvrl. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. Ghostemane. (November 2020 cover story). 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. Mali-Koa. (November 2020 print issue). 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, November 11). Alpha P. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, October 28). SEVENTEEN. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2022, September 10). Julie and the Phantoms. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, September 14). Elizabeth Tan. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, September 4). Bow Anderson – Island – Exclusive Video Premiere. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, August 26). Aija Mayrock. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, August 7). Carly and Martina. 1883 Magazine.
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Cates, L. (2020, July 24). Gaslighter: The Chicks’ first album in 14 years is exactly what Gen Z needs right now. Medium.​
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