Molly Kelly

Molly Kelly is an Assistant Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), specializing in the Department of History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences. Her research bridges philosophy, sound studies, and political critique, focusing on how sensory experiences like sound and silence intersect with oppression, resistance, and transformation. She holds a BA from Boston University, an MA from George Washington University, and a PhD from Emory University.

Her teaching emphasizes applying philosophical concepts to everyday life, fostering inclusive classroom environments as a first-generation college graduate. Her work appears in journals like Continental Philosophy Review and Puncta: Journal of Critical Phenomenology, with recent projects exploring TikTok’s 'bimbocore' movement as a feminist tool.

Outside academia, Kelly engages in creative practices like quilting and weightlifting, and is an avid advocate for pigeons through RISD’s Nature Lab.