Professor Dr. Rachel Williams

Biography

Rachel Elizabeth Williams is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her interdisciplinary research interweaves Black studies with critical geography and education policy to examine the intersection of race, place, and political economy within the U.S. metropolitan South. Her research agenda focuses on the impact of charter schools and state takeovers on local democratic governance in majority Black contexts, the relationship between education, capital, and the spatial organization of metropolitan landscapes, and the dynamics of Black intra-racial politics and representation amidst the frameworks of racial capitalism. Williams's contributions have been recognized by several prestigious fellowships, including the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation and the Ford Foundation. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of California, Berkeley, an MPP in Education Policy from Vanderbilt University, and a BA in Psychology from Dillard University.

Research Interests

Awards