Mako Ward
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Mail code: 4308Campus: Tempe
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Mako Fitts Ward, PhD is a humanistic social scientist whose research explores the intersection of Black cultural production, culture industries and urban creative placemaking efforts to advance arts practice and foster inclusive community development. She is an Assistant Professor of African American and Women and Gender Studies in the School of Social Transformation and affiliate faculty in The Design School in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. As Director of the Social Transformation Lab, she fosters collaborations among universities, non-profits, companies, philanthropies and government agencies to develop strategies and inclusive learning tools for individuals and organizations.
She is a co-editor of The Pandemic Reader: Exposing Social (In)justice in the Time of COVID-19 (DIO Press, 2021) and served as research co-lead on the Women in the Mix Study sponsored by The Recording Academy© and the Black Women Thriving research report. Her writing has appeared in a wide range of academic journals, edited volumes and popular news blogs, including Huffington Post, The Conversation and Ms.
She is currently Principal Investigator and Co-PI on several large-scale grant projects and serves as a Faculty Fellow in the Studio for Creativity, Place and Equitable Communities.
- PhD Justice Studies, Arizona State University
- MS Justice Studies, Arizona State University
- BA Political Science and Gender Studies, University of Southern California
Black Feminist & Womanist Theory, Culture Industries, Economic Justice, Hip Hip Culture & Activism, Intersectional Social Inequalities, Social Movements
Select Academic Publications (full texts available using Google Scholar link above)
Ward, M. F. (2021). “Metamorphic liberation”: Radical self-care and the biopolitical agency of Black women. Kalfou: A Journal of Comparative and Relational Ethnic Studies, 8(1): 256-273.
Ward, M. F. (2021). The Resurgence of Marxist feminist analytics: Book review of Marx, Women and Capitalist Social Reproduction: Marxist Feminist Essays by Martha E. Giménez. Social Justice: A Journal of Crime, Conflict and World Order, 47(1-2): 241-247.
Ward, M. F. (2017). Queen Bey and the new Niggerati: Ethics of individualism in the appropriation of black radicalism. Black Camera, 9(1): 146-163.
Fitts, M. (2011). Theorizing transformative revolutionary action: The contribution of bell hooks to emancipatory knowledge production. The C.L.R. James Journal: A Review of Caribbean Ideas, 17(1): 112-132.
Fitts, M. (2008). ‘Drop it like it’s hot’: Culture industry laborers and their perspectives on rap music video production. Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism, 8(1): 211-235.
Fitts, M. (2009). Institutionalizing intersectionality: Reflections on the structure of women’s studies departments and programs. In Michele T. Berger and Kathleen Guidroz (Eds.) The Intersectional Approach: Transforming the Academy through Race, Class and Gender, 249-257. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.
Rubin, L. R., Fitts, M. L., & Becker, A. E. (2003). ‘Whatever feels good in my soul’: Body ethics and aesthetics among African American and Latina women. Culture, medicine, and psychiatry, 27: 49-75.
Research Reports, White Papers & Training Materials
Barra, E., Ward, M. F., Anderson, L. M. and Brown, A. M. (2022). Women in the mix study. Los Angeles, CA: The Recording Academy©. https://www.recordingacademy.com/sites/com/files/witm_study_2.pdf.
Hines, E. and Ward, M. F. (2022). Black women thriving: BWT report 2022. Raleigh, NC: Every Level Leadership. https://everylevelleads.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Black-Women-Thriving-Report_2022.pdf.
Ward, M. F., Crudup, C. Borman, B., Young, L. and Wilson, D. (2022). Outreach worker program: Assessment and evaluation. Evaluation report submitted to the Starbucks Global Social Impact Team. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University.
Ward, M. F. (2020). BARE coach certification program: Curriculum assessment report. Evaluation report submitted to Susan Hyatt, Inc. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University.
Ward, M. F., Bailey, M. M., Solyom, J. and Bustamante, N. (2019). Welcoming dialogue on sexuality bias. To be welcoming. Tempe, AZ: Starbucks Global Academy. https://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/to-be-welcoming/.
Ward, M. F., Solyom, J., Chin, J. (2019). Welcoming dialogue on gender bias. To be welcoming. Tempe, AZ: Starbucks Global Academy. https://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/to-be-welcoming/.
Fitts, M., Sawa, D. and Schulman, J. C. (2007). Lesson 1: Modern momotoro: Folktales in hip hop. In M. Runnel and M. Diaz (eds.), The hip-hop education guidebook, volume 1. New York: Hip-Hop Association, Inc., 70-77.
Editorials & Popular Publications
"The Power of the Intersectional Protest Image," JSTOR Daily, October 3, 2020.
"The Good News: Madea’s Not a Colored Girl,” Ms., November 6, 2010
“Can Tyler Perry Pull Off a Black Feminist Masterpiece?,” Ms., October 14, 2010
“Where Do We Go From bell,” Ms., September 10, 2010
Fellowships
(2022-present) Faculty Fellow, Studio for Creativity, Place and Equitable Communities, Arizona State University
(2021-2022) ADVANCE Leadership Fellow, Arizona State University
(2021) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Research Fellow, The Adaway Group
Research Grants
(2022-2023) Addressing Health Disparities Related to Substance Use Disorders, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (Prime Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), Role: PI
(2022-2023) Arts Organizations Centering Communities of Color: Community Orientation Study, The Wallace Foundation, Role: Co-PI
(2021-2022) Women In the Mix 2021 Study, The Recording Academy®, Role: Co-I
(2021) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Learning Sessions, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Role: Co-Lead
(2020-2021) Black Womxn Thriving, Global Sport Institute Seed Grant Program, Arizona State University, Role: PI
(2018-2019) Research Cluster, Institute for Humanities Research, Arizona State University, Role: Co-Participant
(2009) Research & Advocacy Grant, Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC), Role: Co-PI
(2008) The Sydney S. Spivack Program in Applied Social Research and Social Policy Community Action Research Initiative, American Sociological Association, Role: Co-PI
Courses
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 799 | Dissertation |
AFR 590 | Reading and Conference |
2023 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 799 | Dissertation |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 792 | Research |
MAS 585 | Capstone Course |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
JUS 599 | Thesis |
WST 792 | Research |
WST 790 | Reading and Conference |
AFR 428 | Critical Race Theory |
AFR 428 | Critical Race Theory |
JUS 428 | Critical Race Theory |
JUS 428 | Critical Race Theory |
AFR 598 | Special Topics |
2022 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
JUS 592 | Research |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
JUS 592 | Research |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 428 | Critical Race Theory |
AFR 428 | Critical Race Theory |
JUS 428 | Critical Race Theory |
JUS 428 | Critical Race Theory |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
JUS 790 | Reading and Conference |
WST 690 | Reading and Conference |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 200 | Intro to Africana Studies |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
2020 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
WST 792 | Research |
WST 460 | Women and the Body |
WST 460 | Women and the Body |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 493 | Honors Thesis |
WST 499 | Individualized Instruction |
JUS 493 | Honors Thesis |
WST 498 | Pro-Seminar |
AFR 200 | Intro to Africana Studies |
WST 603 | Engendering Methodology |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
2019 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 493 | Honors Thesis |
WST 499 | Individualized Instruction |
JUS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
WST 492 | Honors Directed Study |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
WST 499 | Individualized Instruction |
AFR 200 | Intro to Africana Studies |
WST 602 | Mapping Intersections Gender |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
WST 595 | Continuing Registration |
2019 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
JUS 477 | Youth and Justice |
WST 335 | Gender, Race, & Sex in Sci Fi |
WST 335 | Gender, Race, & Sex in Sci Fi |
2019 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 492 | Honors Directed Study |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
WST 498 | Pro-Seminar |
WST 499 | Individualized Instruction |
WST 499 | Individualized Instruction |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
WST 498 | Pro-Seminar |
WST 375 | Women & Social Change |
2018 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
WST 493 | Honors Thesis |
WST 499 | Individualized Instruction |
WST 492 | Honors Directed Study |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 375 | Race, Gender and Sport |
AFR 200 | Intro to Africana Studies |
WST 602 | Mapping Intersections Gender |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
AFR 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
JUS 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |
WST 394 | Special Topics |