Marina Karides

Marina Karides is a Professor and Undergraduate Chair in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. With a PhD in Sociology from the University of Georgia, her work bridges academic scholarship with community activism, focusing on island societies through feminist, decolonial, and intersectional frameworks. She coordinates the Island Feminisms Project and led the NSF-funded ADVANCE-BRIDGE initiative examining workplace equity in Hawaiian higher education.

Her research explores how constructs of gender, race, and sexuality manifest in island spaces, examining alternative economic models that prioritize social and environmental justice. Key interests include:

• Convivial economies and women's cooperatives in Mediterranean islands
• Settler colonialism and environmental perceptions in Oceania
• Intersectional analysis of academic labor in STEM fields
• Indigenous methodologies and land stewardship practices

Karides' publications demonstrate strong thematic coherence across island studies, feminist geography, and social justice. Recent work (2021-2024) focuses on decolonial methodologies, seasonal urbanization in Greek islands, and settler colonial narratives, while earlier publications centered on Caribbean microenterprises and global social forums. Her scholarship consistently employs intersectional analysis across geographical contexts.

Community engagement includes:

• Co-founding the transnational Island Feminisms Project promoting critical race/queer scholarship
• Directing ADVANCE-BRIDGE (2017-2022) assessing gender/racial bias in Hawai'i community colleges
• Mentoring high school students in Pāhoa and supporting Native Hawaiian environmental initiatives
• Previous global activism through World Social Forums and community organizing in New Orleans