Brown University scholar elected president of the American Studies Association

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - Alexander Weheliye, a professor of modern culture and media at Brown University, has been elected president of the American Studies Association, the largest scholarly organization focused on the interdisciplinary study of United States history and culture within a global context.

Weheliye's three-year leadership cycle with the association began in July with a one-year term as president-elect. Weheliye will step into the presidency in July 2027 before concluding the term as past president in July 2028.

"I'm extremely excited and honored to lead the American Studies Association, which is now more necessary than ever," Weheliye said. "Prioritizing academic freedom and the accessibility of knowledge in universities, colleges and other institutions, both in the U.S. and abroad, is essential to maintaining the foundational tenets of the American Studies Association."

Weheliye, whose scholarship focuses on Black studies, critical theory, gender and sexuality studies, social technologies and popular music, is the author of three books, including "Feenin: R&B Music and the Materiality of BlackFem Voices and Technology," as well as numerous articles. Weheliye is currently working on a memoir about growing up in East Germany and Somalia, highlighting how deeply state power infiltrates and shapes everyday lives.

Weheliye said the American Studies Association serves as a critical hub for advancing a wide range of perspectives and defending intellectual inquiry in fields of study that are confronting growing resistance.

"The ASA represents the cutting edge of American education, especially given that many of these fields are under severe attack in the current cultural order," said Weheliye, who joined the Brown faculty in 2022. "I am looking forward to playing a central role in this crucial line of resistance."

At Brown, Weheliye teaches courses including Theorizing Blackness, Black Queer Diasporas and Contemporary Black Popular Music.

Established in 1951, the American Studies Association publishes the journal American Quarterly; organizes an annual conference and regional events; provides resources to researchers, students and teachers; collaborates with museums, public institutions and local communities; and advances and participates in public discussions relevant to the field.