Assistant Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies and Asian American Studies Rachel Kuo has been busy!
Professor Kuo is a leading scholar at UW in both Gender & Women’s Studies and Asian American Studies. She is a co-founder of the Asian American Feminist Collective and founding member of the Center for Critical Race and Digital Studies. She works closely with community partners to develop her research. Her long-term research goals and questions are centered on grassroots social movements.
In October 2025, her book Movement Media: In Pursuit of Solidarity will be published! The introduction is free to read online until October 5th. This book presents new theoretical and methodological frameworks for studying technology, politics, and social movements. It includes original interviews, archival research, and instructive lessons for organizers and scholars on activism and resistance.
Wendy Hui Kyong Chun, author of Discriminating Data: Correlation, Neighborhoods, and the New Politics of Recognition, says:
“This book offers an insightful and badly needed analysis of how progressive social movements are built under conditions of constant surveillance and instability. Kuo reminds us that our technologies and infrastructures have always been compromised-the same tech that supposedly protects freedom also undermines it-but that it’s from this compromised position that we can imagine something different. At a time when things seem overwhelming, she reminds us that by reflecting and analyzing movement media, we can build collectives and open future possibilities. Brilliant. A must read.”
Professor Kuo also co-authored another publication to be released in October 2025, We Are Each Other’s Liberation: Black and Asian Feminist Solidarities. This book is a collaborative project between Black Women Radicals and Kuo’s Asian American Feminist Collective. It is a major anthology that illuminates historical and contemporary solidarities between Black and Asian feminists. It draws lessons from revolutionary work of movement forbearers and introduces readers to new ways of understanding and reflecting on race and feminism.
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, author of The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred, says:
“A powerful collection that puts past, present, and theory in conversation, We Are Each Other’s Liberation urges us to re-examine Black and Asian community dynamics through the lens of woman of color feminisms. The gift that this book gives us is a guide for how to think about power—how we wield it, how it is used against us, how we can use it to oppose those who are out to destroy us. We Are Each Other’s Liberation is a gathering of essential answers to the question of where we go from here.”
Both works are available through major academic publishers and booksellers. We invite students, colleagues, and the broader community to share in these important contributions to the field.
GWS wholeheartedly celebrates Professor Kuo’s scholarly achievements and the impact of her work in the field of Gender and Women’s Studies and beyond. These publications reflect years of research and critical thought and demonstrate a deep commitment to equity, activism, and academic excellence. Congratulations, Professor Kuo!