Dr. Ann Heffernan

Biography

Ann Heffernan serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan. Her research is situated at the intersection of contemporary political theory, feminist theory, and disability studies. She has published work in notable journals such as The Annual Review of Political Science and the American Political Science Review. Heffernan's current book project, 'Conditions of Citizenship,' explores the significance of disability in mediating the relationship between citizens and the American state. By drawing on historical and contemporary examples, including the rise of waged labor, the welfare rights movement, and climate change, she examines how the definitions of political membership are shaped by, and often exclude, individuals with disabilities. Her existing research highlights the exclusionary basis of liberal citizenship and its consequences for people with disabilities, while making the case that the concepts of disability function as crucial mechanisms in negotiating transformations of obligations and entitlements associated with citizenship. Heffernan teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in modern and contemporary political theory, feminist theory, and disability studies.

Research Interests

Courses