Kendra Calhoun

Kendra Calhoun is an Assistant Professor of Linguistic Anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2021) and previously served as a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA (2021-23). Her academic work bridges sociocultural linguistics and linguistic anthropology, focusing on the intersections of language with identity, race, gender, and power in both face-to-face and mediated contexts.

• Educational Background:
  • Ph.D. Linguistics, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021)
  • M.A. Linguistics, University of California, Santa Barbara (2016)
  • B.A. English & Psychology, University of South Carolina (2013)

Her research explores:

• Black digital discourse practices on platforms like TikTok and Tumblr
• Critical analysis of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) frameworks in higher education
• Humor and performance as sociopolitical tools
• Language attitudes and institutional critiques

Notably, her 2023-24 ACLS Fellowship supported her project "#BlackPeopleBeLike: Discursive constructions of contemporary race, culture, and African American identity on TikTok". Her recent publications examine:

• Algospeak and digital self-censorship
• Black-centered pedagogy in linguistics
• Anti-hegemonic humor in digital spaces
• Critical perspectives on free speech discourse

Calhoun’s work is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing from sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, communication studies, media theory, and Black Studies.

Scientific Awards

• 2023-24 ACLS Fellow, American Council of Learned Societies