'Inoke Hafoka is the son of Tongan immigrants and raised in Glendale of Soonkahni (Salt Lake Valley in Utah). His research interests includes: diaspora, identity, migration, race, education, knowledge production, revitalization / re-imagination, cultural practices, sports, talanoa. Hafoka has published in AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, Pacific Studies, Oceania, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity, and more.
EDUCATION
- Ph.D., Social Science & Comparative Education (specialization in Race and Ethnic Studies), University of California, Los Angeles
- M.Ed., Education, Culture & Society, University of Utah
- B.S., Sociology, Brigham Young University - Provo
COURSES TAUGHT
- PAIS 105 - Introduction to Pacific Studies
- PAIS 200 - Recognizing Place, Purpose, and Positionality on Native land **
- PAIS 201 - Indigenous Pacific Research Methodology **
- PAIS 340 / PAIS 390R: Racism and Belonging: Pacific Dialogue **
- PAIS 399R - Internship **
- PAIS 497R - Mentored Research **
- HIST 250 - History of Eastern Oceania **
- HIST 362 - History of the Pacific
- SOCW 372 - Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
** - Courses currently being taught (Winter 2025)
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
ARTICLES
Kruse, L. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2024). Cultivating Pacific Studies in Ko‘olauloa. Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity, 10(1), 194-205. https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2642-2387.2024.10.1.193-205
Hafoka, ‘I., Tecun, A., Ka‘ili, T. O., & Siulua, S. A. (2023). Performing Tongan Identity and Indigeneity in Global Sporting Events. Pacific Studies, 46(2), 160-186. https://www.academia.edu/attachments/113563139/download_file?s=portfolio
Alcantar, C. M., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., & Teranishi, R. T. (2022). Space and place at Asian American and Pacific Islander–serving community colleges: The geography of campus student support for Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 15(2), 178–193. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000281
Vaughn, K., Fitisemanu, J., Hafoka, ‘I. & Folau, K. (2020). Unmasking the essential realities of COVID-19 amongst the Pasifika community in the Salt Lake Valley. Oceania, 90(S1), 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1002/ocea.5267
Tecun, A., Hafoka, ‘I., ‘Ulu‘ave, L., & ‘Ulu‘ave-Hafoka, M. (2018). Talanoa: Tongan epistemology and Indigenous research method. AlterNative: An international journal of Indigenous Peoples, 14(2), 156–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/1177180118767436
BOOK CHAPTERS
Tecun, A., Fehoko, E., & Hafoka, ‘I. (2021). Faikava: A Philosophy of Diasporic Tongan Youth, Hip Hop, and Urban Kava Circles. In K. L. Camacho (Ed.), Reppin’: Pacific Islander Youth and Native Justice (pp. 219-239).Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
Hafoka, ‘I., Vaughn, K., Aina, I. & Alcantar, C. M. (2020). The ‘invisible’ minority: Finding a sense of belonging after imperialism, colonialism, and (im)migration for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. In R. T Teranishi, B. M. D. Nguyen, C. M. Alcantar, & E. R. Curammeng (Eds.), in Measuring race: Why disaggregating data matters for addressing educational inequality (pp.67-83). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
REPORTS
Teranishi, R., Gutierrez, R. E., Gogue, D. T., Le, A., & Hafoka, ‘I. (2023). Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders in higher education: A collection of campus research to inform student success. Washington, DC: Asian Pacific Islander Association Scholars.