Ingrid Banks' main research and teaching areas are within African American Studies and include race, gender, beauty culture, and politics of the body. She is the author of Hair Matters: Beauty, Power, and Black Women's Consciousness (New York University Press, 2000). Her commentary has appeared in a number of media outlets, including The New York Times, New York Newsday, Air America, the BBC, The Guardian (London), The Root.com and CNN.com.