Misa Kayama

Misa Kayama is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Mississippi's School of Applied Sciences. Her research addresses the cultural shaping of children's experiences with disability-related stigmatization and intersectional issues like race and immigration status through cross-cultural ethnographic approaches.

• Key research areas include critical disability theory, cross-cultural child development, anti-Asian racism, and policy analysis
• Funded by the Spencer Foundation and Abe Fellowship (Social Science Research Council)
• Authored two Oxford University Press books on disability and child development

Recent publications focus on:

• Comparative analysis of Japanese, South Korean, Taiwanese, and U.S. educational contexts
• Anti-Asian racism during the pandemic
• Disability experiences in Indian sociocultural contexts

Her work employs qualitative and mixed-methods research guided by ecological perspectives and critical race theory. She examines how cultural resources can reduce stigmatization through inclusive practices.