Elena Ruíz

Elena Ruíz is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Research Institute for Structural Change (RISC) at Michigan State University. She holds affiliations in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Chicano and Latino Studies, and the Research Consortium on Gender-Based Violence. Her work focuses on structural justice, gender-based violence, and decolonial frameworks. Ruíz advocates for survivors of violence and develops community-centered research programs.

Her research interests span structural oppression, postcolonial and decolonial theories, and feminist critiques of systemic violence. Recent articles address topics like pandemic-era economic stressors for violence survivors and the intersections of race, gender, and colonialism.

Ruíz has been recognized for her anti-violence research by global advocacy groups, including the Me Too Movement. She advises doctoral students such as Taylor Elyse Mills and leads RISC, which emphasizes structural change through collaborative action.