J. Kehaulani Kauanui

About the Author

J. Kehaulani Kauanui is a distinguished scholar and author whose work illuminates the intricate intersections of indigeneity, colonialism, and sovereignty in the Pacific. A professor of American Studies and Anthropology at Wesleyan University, she draws on her Native Hawaiian heritage to critically examine the legacies of U.S. imperialism and the ongoing struggles for self-determination. In her acclaimed book, Paradoxes of Hawaiian Sovereignty: Land, Sex, and the Colonial Politics of State Nationalism, Kauanui dissects the paradoxes embedded in Hawaiian statehood, exploring how land rights, gender dynamics, and nationalist ideologies perpetuate colonial control. Her research, informed by rigorous archival analysis and ethnographic insight, challenges dominant narratives and advocates for decolonial futures, making her a vital voice in contemporary indigenous studies.