Archana Kaku

Assistant Professor, William & Mary, Dept of Government. BMC '14, UPenn PhD. Trying to make sense of political violence.

Archana Kaku is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Government at the College of William & Mary.1 2 Here are some key details about her:

Academic Background

She received her PhD in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, along with a Graduate Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies.1 2
She completed her undergraduate degree (A.B.) magna cum laude in English and Political Science from Bryn Mawr College in 2014.1

Research and Teaching

Dr. Kaku's research focuses on the interactions between the body, violence, and power.2
She works at the intersections of decolonial theory, gender and queer theory, and biopolitics.2
Her teaching at William & Mary includes classes in Political Theory, with a focus on bringing critical lenses to contemporary political life and conflicts.2 5

Current Position

She joined William & Mary as an Assistant Professor in May 2023.1
Her office is located in Chancellors Hall, room 368.3 4

Previous Experience

Prior to William & Mary, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Muhlenberg College from August 2021 to May 2023.1 6
She has also held teaching positions at Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania.1

Research Interests

Her primary research interests include:

Violence
Necropolitics
Feminist Politics
Queer Theory3 4

Archana Kaku is currently working on a book project examining how bodily destruction is used in domination or resistance, focusing on cases of torture, self-immolation, and suicide bombing.2