ABOUT
Kong Pheng Pha is a scholar and teacher whose research explores the histories of refugee migration, queer and anti-racist social movements and community organizing, and Asian American racializations, with particular attention on Southeast Asian Americans and Hmong Americans.
He is currently working on two books, the first is an academic monograph tentatively titled Queer Refugeeism: Constructions of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Hmong Diaspora. The second is a book of personal narrative nonfiction essays tentatively titled Insanity and Insurgency: Being Hmong in a Revolutionary America. His academic writing has appeared in the Hmong Studies Journal, Minnesota History, Amerasia Journal, and Journal of Asian American Studies. His public writing has appeared in Hmong Today, The Twin Cities Daily Planet, The Atlantic, Asian American Organizing Project Blog, and Reappropriate. He has also made media appearances on Wisconsin Public Radio and The Social X Change Project. In all of his research, teaching, and writing, he seeks to illuminate the histories and experiences of refugees, queer, and QTBIPOC communities, especially Southeast Asian Americans and Hmong Americans.
He is currently is an Assistant Professor of Critical Hmong Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire. He received a Ph.D. in American Studies and a B.A. in Psychology, with minors in Sociology, History, and Asian American Studies, both from the University of Minnesota.
ACADEMIC WRITING
Pha, Kong Pheng. “Review of History on the Run: Secrecy, Fugitivity, and Hmong Refugee Epistemologies by Ma Vang.” Environment and Planning D: Society and Space (October 2021)
PUBLIC WRITING
Pha, Kong Pheng. “How to Teach History After Sunisa Lee.” Leader-Telegram, August 6, 2021.
TEACHING
SPEAKING
Guest Speaker, “Building a Queer Hmong Vernacular Activism.” Winona State University, Expanding Perspectives Speaker Series, September 2020.
Guest Speaker. “Episode #10: University Professor.” The Social X Change Project, February 28, 2020.
Guest Speaker, “Legislating Conjugalities: Gender, Sexuality, and The Hmong Marriage Bills.” Hmong Studies Consortium, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, October 2018.
Guest Speaker and Workshop Session Leader, “The Politics of Hmong ‘Culture’ and History.” Eau Claire Area School District Professional Development Workshop for Middle and High School Social Studies Teachers, Eau Claire, WI, August 2018.
Guest Speaker, “Queer Refugeeism: Constructions of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Hmong Diaspora.” SEASSI Summer Institute, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, July 2017.
Guest Lecture, “Hmong in the Twin Cities.” Macalester College, St. Paul, MN, April 2017.
Guest Speaker, “Community Oriented Direct-Action Research and Graduate School Workshop.” California State University—Stanislaus, Turlock, CA, March 2017.
Guest Speaker, “Hmong LGBTQ Communities.” SHE Pab: Voices of Hmong Women, St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN, April 2016.
Guest Panelist, “The Model Minority Myth Goes to College: Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Higher Education.” Macalester College, St. Paul, MN, April 2016.
Guest Speaker, “Hmong Community Speaker Series: Trials and Triumphs of Hmong and Asian LGBTQ.” Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, February 2016.
Guest Speaker, “Queering SEAS: Mashing up Queer, Southeast Asian American, and Critical Refugee Studies.” Southeast Asian American Legacies: 40 Years After the End of the Vietnam War. University of California—Merced, Merced, CA, December 2015.
Guest Speaker and Facilitator, “A Forum on Hmong Sexualities.” University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, October 2015.
Guest Presenter, “Voicing AAPI LGBTQ Issues.” National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – Twin Cities Chapter, AAPI Women’s Leadership Summit, St. Paul, MN, June 2015.
Guest Speaker, “This is My Story: A Conversation on Race and Ethnicity.” Hamline University, St. Paul, MN, February 2015.