Sonja Lanehart
Professor of Linguistics
Research Areas
Language in African American Communities
Sociolinguistics & Language Variation
Educational Linguistics
About Sonja Lanehart
Sonja Lanehart is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona. Her scholarship focuses on language in African American communities; language and identity; sociolinguistics and language variation; and African American education – all from Black feminist, Intersectional, and Critical Race Theory perspectives. She is particularly interested in pushing the boundaries of linguistic research to be more diverse and inclusive. She is a staunch advocate for mentoring and sponsoring emerging Scholars of Color, anti-racism, social justice, equity, and inclusion. She was named a Linguistic Society of America Fellow in 2021. Her latest book is Language in African American Communities (Routledge, 2023).