We are pleased to announce that Dr. Anu Taranath, Teaching Professor, Department of English and Comparative History of Ideas, is the recipient of the 2025 Excellence in Global Engagement Award. The award is the highest recognition for faculty and staff at the UW for fostering global connections through teaching, research, and service. Celebrate Dr. Anu Taranath at the Awards of Excellence ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on June 12 in Meany Hall.
Dr. Anu Taranath
Dr. Anu Taranath is a Teaching Professor at the University of Washington, specializing in world literature, cultural theory, and theories of social difference. Her career spans over two decades, during which she has designed numerous courses and received the UW Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Taranath’s work focuses on creating, deepening, and strengthening connections between people across identity, experience, and geography. She has founded and directed multiple study abroad programs in India, Mexico, Ghana, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Beyond academia, Dr. Taranath engages with diverse audiences as a public scholar, consultant, and author. Her book, “Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World,” has garnered significant recognition and expanded her reach across the travel industry and higher education. She leads the Global Reciprocity Network, a research collective that foregrounds Global South expertise and promotes humane, human-centered models of collaboration. Dr. Taranath’s contributions to global engagement are reflected in her commissioned writings, keynote speeches, and extensive media presence.