Amber Rose Johnson

Amber Rose Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at McGill University, Faculty of Arts. Her research focuses on Black experimental poetry and performance in 21st-century diaspora, exploring how Black cultural producers use scientific analogies to deconstruct formalized categories of identity. She also investigates embodiment through strength-training practices, interrogating Christina Sharpe’s question about sustaining Black bodily integrity. Johnson holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in English and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in American Studies and Africana Studies from Tufts University.

Research interests include Black feminisms, interdisciplinary methodologies, and the intersections of art, science, and anti-racist praxis. Her work engages with scholars like Sylvia Wynter and Frantz Fanon, emphasizing transformative knowledge production. She is preparing to supervise graduate students (starting Fall 2024) in areas such as Black studies, experimental cultural forms, and embodied research practices.

• Awards: McGill Third Century Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (2023), Fulbright Research Fellowship (2015-2016)
• Publications: ArtForum (2022), with further scholarly and creative outputs in progress.

Her methodological approach combines critical theory with embodied practice, blending academic research with physical disciplines like kettlebell training to explore the materiality of Black existence.