Assistant Professor of Political Science“As a migrant woman, coming from a family that has been displaced over space and time, notably from Iran and Eastern Europe, my lived experience is my main inspiration for what I do and how I do it—including pursuing Political Science as an academic field. My areas of expertise are migration, gender, and human rights. My work is concerned with intersectional and decolonial approaches towards migration-gender relations in a global context.
Through immersive practice and community-based research, I learned about the significance of centering lived experiences in data analysis as a means of complementing the ‘gold standard’ in Political Science, namely quantitative research. This experience keeps me motivated to challenge conventional ways of how and where knowledge is produced.
I go above and beyond to engage students in my work as a scholar-activist, including internship opportunities with my non-governmental organization (NGO), the Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice, as well as stand-alone research projects. Over the last three years, I have mentored 32 students and published 10 academic articles and/or policy reviews with UP students and alumni.
Being a scholar-activist allows me to bring the latest research and discourse on subjects that overlap with my teaching. All of this is further informed by my advocacy at the global level, adding practice-oriented components into all of my classes. My scholarship, teaching, activism, and my lived experience shape my work and greatly enrich learning experiences inside and outside the classroom.
My book Integration and Anti-Discrimination at Crossroads is expected to be published Spring/Summer 2022, and I am also working on several articles related to my research on migration, gender, and COVID-19. This research was conducted with three UP students and included interviews with 15 refugee women and representatives of organizations working with refugees in Portland between May and July 2021. Additionally, I am working on several new book chapters and articles for Special Issue Journals.”
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
This website uses cookies to track information for analytics purposes. You can view the full University of Portland privacy policy for more information.
