Dr. Uju Anya

Biography

Uju Anya is a scholar of language learning and Black experiences with multilingualism. Her primary fields of inquiry include critical applied linguistics, critical sociolinguistics, and critical discourse studies, with a focus on how race, gender, sexual, and social class identities intersect with language learning. Her research explores the multilingual journeys of African American students and their experiences, which inform identity formation in new language learning contexts. Anya brings expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion within instructional practices, curriculum design, language study abroad, applied linguistics, social justice, and intercultural communication, with a focus on secondary and university-level language programs. Her book, 'Racialized Identities in Language Learning: Speaking Blackness in Brazil' (Routledge, 2017), critically examines how students shape and negotiate their identities in multilingual contexts, proposing multilingual approaches such as translanguaging and plurilingual practices as tools for effective language pedagogy. This groundbreaking work was recognized with the 2019 American Association of Applied Linguistics Book Award for exceptional contribution to the field. Anya has also co-edited a volume titled 'Racial Equity on College Campuses: Connecting Research and Practice', published by SUNY Press in 2021.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards