positions press strives to set a new standard in publishing, one that counters the lingering Eurocentrism in the English-reading world and reflects the true diversity of global intellectual and literary traditions.
positions press is an open-access venue dedicated to publishing singular and experimental writing with an Asia-literate focus. Our project emerges from a pressing need for a platform that demonstrates a body of scholarship and literature after orientalism. This need demands that we interrogate how modern geopolitical and literary brackets have obscured our sense of location, lineage, and historiographic predicates by assuming facts not in existence. Rendering Asia as legible requires its dissolution as a cohesive category, a task that is fundamental to the politics of the next century.
positions press aims to bring into existence writing—in the form of fiction, poetry, theory, polemics, and more—that both dilates and undermines the Anglophone imagination through its insurgent heterogeneity. We publish two to three texts a year from across genres, disciplines, and linguistic origins. All will be made accessible online, free to download, and will soon be available as physical copies to purchase.
our editorial team
tani barlow, founding editor
Tani Barlow’s scholarship focuses on Chinese intellectual and women’s history. As founding senior editor of positions: asia critique, an international, four-time prize-winning journal, she brings over two decades of editorial leadership to cross-cultural and transnational publishing. Professor Barlow is the author of The Question of Women in Chinese Feminism (Duke University Press, 2004) and has edited or co-edited nine books, including The Modern Girl Around the World (Duke University Press, 2008) and I Myself Am a Woman: Selected Writings of Ding Ling (Beacon Press, 1999). Her extensive experience in collaborative international projects—including nine research initiatives supported by the Rockefeller and Luce Foundations—alongside her expertise in translation studies, digital humanities, and archival work, positions her uniquely to lead our press’s mission of bridging linguistic and cultural communities through scholarly publishing and community engagement.
akhil jonnalagadda, editor
Akhil Jonnalagadda brings extensive experience in academic publishing, cultural institutions, and community engagement to his role as Editor. Most recently serving as Program Coordinator for PUP Speaks at Princeton University Press, he developed expertise in author representation, public programming, and expanding access to scholarly voices across diverse audiences. His work at Princeton began with the prestigious Publishing Fellowship program, where he collaborated on the Ideas page to amplify underrepresented and early-career scholars, developing innovative approaches to diversity and inclusion in academic publishing. Jonnalagadda’s editorial experience extends to the Guggenheim Museum, where he contributed to exhibition catalogues and cultural programming. His commitment to community engagement is evident in his leadership roles with the Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR), where he managed global educational programs supporting refugee communities.
lan li, creative director
Lan Li combines scholarly expertise with extensive experience in visual media and digital design. She is the author of Body Maps: Improvising Meridians and Nerves in Global Chinese Medicine. Her background as a filmmaker and media producer—with collaborations spanning Shanghai, Mumbai, São Paulo, New York, Boston, Houston, and Baltimore—informs her approach to creating visually compelling and culturally sensitive publications. As editor of the eikon gallery for positionspolitics.org and producer of multiple podcasts and exhibitions, Li has developed expertise in translating complex scholarly content across diverse media platforms. She oversees both the editorial and visual dimensions of our publications, ensuring that design elements enhance cross-cultural communication while maintaining scholarly rigor. Li works closely with our Digital Architect to create innovative digital publications and collaborates directly with authors to develop layout solutions that honor the integrity of translated texts and multilingual content.
tori yang, manuscript editor
Tori Shucheng Yang brings expertise in transnational migration, intersectional identities, and cross-cultural communication to her role as Manuscript Editor. Her research examines the complex intersectional identities and migration experiences of Chinese LGBTQ+ migrants across the United States and Canada. Yang’s recent publication in Social Problems, “Retheorizing Intersectional Identities with the Study of Chinese LGBTQ+ Migrants,” demonstrates her commitment to developing nuanced theoretical frameworks for understanding transnational experiences. Her academic background—including an MA in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago and a BA in History from the University of Virginia—combined with recognition from the Canadian Sociological Association and UBC’s Centre for Migration Studies, positions her to work sensitively with authors navigating questions of identity, translation, and cross-cultural representation.
yux yang, digital architect
Yux Yang designs comprehensive digital infrastructure and manages the development of our archival collections. With extensive experience as a software engineer across leading technology companies—including roles as AI/ML Architect at Amazon Web Services, Manager of Machine Learning at TensorIoT, and software development positions at Amazon and Google—Yang has developed deep expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and system design. Her technical background spans computer vision, time series analysis, algorithmic trading, and embedded computing, skills she now applies to creating innovative digital preservation and access systems for our press. Beyond her technical capabilities, Yang is co-founder of the United Proud Women project, a community organization dedicated to empowering sexual minority women across diverse geographies. This commitment to inclusive community building and her philosophical approach to technology as a site of resistance and transformation.
