A conversation with Joan Acker on her work, motivations, and suggestions for future researchers

Joan Acker's scholarship and activism has affected the study of equality, diversity, and inclusion in many ways. The purpose of this paper is to present an interview with Joan Acker in which she shares some of the individual and societal influences on her work.

This article is based on an interview with Joan Acker conducted on 22 September 2006.

Joan Acker's observations of and questioning of inequality began when she observed racial inequality as she grew up in the Midwestern USA in the 1940s. As she matured, Acker continued observing and questioning inequality based on race, gender, and class. As a scholar and activist, and now Professor Emeritus at the University of Oregon (USA), Acker's work continues to influence scholars and activists.

This article provides insights into the influences that have shaped Acker's work on gender, race, class, and inequality and should be inspiring to others working in the field.