Ann Heffernan

Ann Heffernan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan, affiliated with Women’s and Gender Studies and the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program at the Ford School. Her research bridges political theory, disability studies, and feminist theory, examining disability's role in shaping U.S. citizenship obligations and state relations. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (2020), supported by the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality and the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights.

Her work analyzes historical and contemporary cases like the Flint water crisis, immigration law changes, and climate change impacts to explore how disability constructs political membership. She co-organizes the Michigan Political Theory Workshop (2024-2025) and teaches courses on political theory, citizenship, and work. Recent publications include Disability in Political Science (2024) and a book review of Sara Rushing’s work (2022).

Her research emphasizes disability as a mechanism for negotiating citizenship transformations rather than merely an exclusionary category. No scientific awards are listed, but her grants and advising roles remain unspecified. She is based in Haven Hall, Ann Arbor, and actively contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues through her affiliations and workshops.