Chair: Professor Jonathan Polk

Biographical Note

I came to PAIS in July 2009 from the School of Political, Social and International Studies at the University of East Anglia. Before entering the world of academia, I lived and worked in Egypt for several years on projects concerning human rights and democratisation and speak Arabic.

My research and teaching interests are located at the intersections between the politics of the Middle East and feminist international relations theory. In my research, I am particularly interested in the ways in which ‘ordinary people’ are shaped by and also influence national and international politics—particularly, democratization, gender politics, peace and security. I have researched and written on women's activism, democratization, human rights and conflict in a number of Middle Eastern countries. Between 2016 and 2020, I led a research project on 'Politics and Popular Culture in Egypt: Contested Narratives of the 25 January 2011 Uprising and its AftermathLink opens in a new window', resulting in the curation of a digital archiveLink opens in a new window documenting the 25 January 2011 uprising and its aftermath through the prism of popular culture.

My research interests link to my activism in the international peace/anti-war movement and I am a regular speaker at various meetings of social movement/voluntary groups. Between 2010 and 2013, I was the co-director of an international research partnership between Warwick and Birzeit University, Palestine, entitled, 'Reconceptualising Gender: Transnational Perspectives'. I am a contributor to the e-zine Jadaliyya.comLink opens in a new window and was also Associate Editor of the British Journal of Middle Eastern StudiesLink opens in a new window for 6 years. I was a trustee of the Council for British Research in the LevantLink opens in a new window (2014-2019) and Vice President of the British Society for Middle Eastern StudiesLink opens in a new window (2018-2021).