Critical Futures

Jaden Janak is an Assistant Professor of Modern U.S. History at St. Olaf College. They recently defended their dissertation on U.S. abolitionist organizing, earning a PhD in African and African Diaspora Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. His research on LGBTQ+ history, abolition, and popular culture can be found in Social Education, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Behemoth: A Journal on Civilisation, and GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies. In addition to their research, Jaden organizes with various local and national abolitionist collectives and is an enthusiastic supporter of women’s sports.

Highlighted Work:

• Website: jadenjanak.com
• Article: “(Trans)gendering Abolition: Black Trans Geographies, Art, and the Problem of Visibility,” (Lesbian and Gay Studies)
• Article: “Cultivating Solidarity from the Inside-Out: Abolitionist Efforts to Trans-gress Prison Walls,” (Behemoth)
• Article: “Abolition is Here,” (Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies)
• Article: “Finding Pride: Teaching Trans History in Secondary Social Studies,” (Social Education)

St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota. Founded in 1874 by Norwegian immigrants, the College challenges students to excel in the liberal arts, examine faith and values, and explore meaningful vocation in an inclusive, globally engaged community nourished by Lutheran tradition.