Kathy Ferguson

Kathy Ferguson is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, within the College of Social Sciences. She is a leading scholar in political theory, with a focus on feminist and anarchist thought.

• PhD in Political Science, University of Minnesota (1976)
• BA in Political Science, Purdue University (1972)

Her research explores the intersections of feminism and anarchism, particularly through the lives and ideas of radical women. She is the author of Emma Goldman: Political Thinking in the Streets (2011), and is currently working on a book about anarchist women in the U.S. and Britain from 1870–1940, as well as a study on the role of letterpress printers in anarchist movements. Her work emphasizes recovering marginalized voices and using historical insights for contemporary political engagement.

Her recent publications reflect a dual commitment to radical political theory and community-based education. The two most recent works include a scholarly monograph on Emma Goldman and a community resource guide on dyslexia, illustrating her blend of academic rigor and public service.

She has been recognized with several awards:

• Robert W. Clopton Award for Distinguished Community Service (2019)
• Excellence in Application Award (2010)
• BOR Excellence in Teaching Award (2003)

Ferguson is also deeply involved in community engagement, particularly in supporting dyslexic learners. She is a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor and has tutored dozens of children and adults. She authored A Resource Guide on Dyslexia for People in Hawai'i (2018), published by the Hawaiʻi branch of the International Dyslexia Association (HIDA), which is distributed freely.

She has taught courses such as:

• POLS 200: Reading and Writing Politics
• POLS 335: History of Political Thought
• POLS 384: Women and Politics
• POLS 610: Political Theory and Analysis
• POLS 615: Topics in Political Thought
• POLS 710: Seminar in Political Thought

She maintains an active research presence through her companion website to the Emma Goldman book, which hosts extensive archival lists of anarchist women, journals, and labor struggles, aiming to recreate what she calls the 'archive effect'—an immersive encounter with radical history.