Karen Morris

Karen Morris is a Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), specializing in cultural anthropology and LGBTQ+ studies. She co-founded the LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project, a collaborative initiative with institutions like the Center on Halsted, University of Illinois-Chicago, and University of Chicago. Her research focuses on intergenerational connections among LGBTQ+ communities, care, kinship, activism, and social justice.

Education: BA in Anthropology from Davidson College (1996), MA and PhD in Cultural and Social Anthropology from Stanford University (2005).

Research Interests: Experimental, community-based research; pedagogy; queer theory; aging and activism. Her earlier work explored transnational media's impact on political culture in Côte d’Ivoire. Current projects emphasize LGBTQ+ intergenerational dialogues and creative collaboration.

• Awards:
  • Spencer Foundation Large Research Grant (Education)
  • University of Illinois Award for Creative Activity
  • Innovation 80 CoGen Grant

Teaching & Advising: Leads courses like 'LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Production,' focusing on collaborative art-making between students and LGBTQ+ elders. Advises thesis projects in Visual and Critical Studies.

Labs/Teams: The LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project coordinates year-long dialogues, art-making, and shared meals between LGBTQ+ college students and older adults, fostering intergenerational solidarity and knowledge-sharing.