Pauline Strong

Pauline Strong is a Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Program in Native American and Indigenous Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She also serves as Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee for the master's program in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. Her campus affiliations include Human Dimensions of Organization; Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; American Studies; and the Bridging Disciplines Program (Museum Studies; Patients Practitioners and Cultures of Care).

Dr. Strong received her bachelor's degree in philosophy from Colorado College and graduate degrees in sociocultural anthropology from the University of Chicago. Her scholarly contributions include two influential monographs: American Indians and the American Imaginary: Cultural Representation Across the Centuries (2012) and Captive Selves, Captivating Others: The Politics and Poetics of Colonial American Captivity Narratives (1999), as well as co-editing New Perspectives on Native North America: Cultures, Histories, Representations (2006).

Dr. Strong's research focuses on the representation of Native American cultures and identities across various cultural forms and historical periods. Her primary interests include cultural, historical, and feminist anthropology; identity and difference; politics of representation; public culture; youth organizations; and humanities fields including museum studies, health humanities, and environmental humanities. Her current research examines: (1) the role of 20th-century youth organizations in developing racialized and gendered U.S. citizens, (2) indigenous nations and movements in climate justice activism, and (3) politics of higher education in 21st century America.

Dr. Strong's scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on captivity narratives, Native American representation, and identity politics. Her work spans historical analysis of colonial encounters to contemporary issues of indigenous rights and representation. Through publications and academic leadership, she has significantly contributed to understanding how Native American identities have been constructed across cultural forms and historical periods.

Dr. Strong currently serves as President of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter at UT Austin. Previously, she was President of the Society for Cultural Anthropology and the Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center, and Councilor of the American Society for Ethnohistory. Her university service includes directing the University of Texas Humanities Institute and chairing several key committees including the Graduate Assembly and Faculty Advisory Committee on the Budget.

Dr. Strong teaches undergraduate courses including Cultural Anthropology - Honors (ANT 302H), Culture and Health (ANT 324L), and Introduction to Museum Studies (BDP 101), as well as graduate courses in Humanities, Health and Medicine (HHM 380/ANT 391) and Representational Practices (ANT 394). She is not currently accepting new graduate students but remains available to serve on graduate student committees.