Brooke A. Ackerly is an American political scientist and Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt University with affiliations to the Human and Organizational Development Department, Law School, Philosophy Department, and Women's and Gender Studies Program, noted for her research on grounded normative theory, feminist theory, feminist international relations, and scholar activism.

The approach dates at least to Jane Mansbridge’s 1980 monograph cum 1983 book, Beyond Adversary Democracy,[15] which incorporated original field work at New England town meetings and a crisis helpline center.

Ackerly has been perhaps the leading recent practitioner and proponent of the approach, especially in a more critical, solidaristic vein, where the scholar theorizes with those engaged in struggles over justice and social recognition.

[16] Ackerly began laying the theoretical groundwork for her own grounded interventions in her 2000 monograph, Political Theory and Feminist Social Criticism.

The book presents findings from Ackerly's interviews and data and content analysis of 125 grant applications from organizations focused on women's rights in 26 countries.