Allison S. Reed

Allison S. Reed is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. She is also a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, & Equity and the Department of Sociology. Holding a PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago, her research focuses on how health, disability, and mental difference intersect with activism and political life, particularly among marginalized communities.

Education:

• PhD in Sociology, University of Chicago
• BA in Urban Studies, Washington University in St. Louis (John B. Ervin Scholar)

Her research integrates intersectional frameworks with Black feminist and queer ethics of care, emphasizing dignity-centered activism. Her book project, Repertoires of Care: Activist Wellbeing and Surviving Social Movements, explores how social justice agents sustain collective and personal resilience amid systemic challenges. She advances interdisciplinary fields like critical mental health studies and political sociology.

Awards:

• John B. Ervin Scholar (Washington University)

Her work has been published in Mobilization: An International Quarterly and Social Science & Medicine. She advocates for accessibility and transformative social change, centering the voices of Black, LGBTQ+, and non-neurotypical communities.