Born to American parents of Japanese descent, who had met when they were interned during World War II, her family’s history gave her first-hand experiences in the world of political violence, and her research on the subject of violence, race, and ethnicity are held in high esteem within the academic community.
Fujii graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon with a BA in Music, and then worked in the acting and tech industry in San Francisco before pursuing her master's degree.
[1] She graduated with an MA in International Relations from San Francisco State University in 2001, with a thesis on the Rwandan Genocide.
She wrote articles about the diffusion of a genodical norm,[2] as well as the power of local ties for political participation.
[6] Before her sudden death, Fujii was working on another book, Show Time: The Logic and Power of Violent Display.