Nahla Abdo Archives – Curriculum Vitae
Nahla Abdo
Dr. Nahla Abdo is Chancellor’s Professor of Sociology at Carleton University, a tenured full professor, and a leading scholar in the fields of anti-colonial feminism, settler colonialism, and Indigenous resistance. With over four decades of academic and activist engagement, Dr. Abdo’s work spans global contexts, from Palestine and Turtle Island to the broader Middle East, and highlights the intersection of race, gender, class, and nationalism. She is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Captive Revolution and Women in Israel, and her research has been published in over nine languages.
Education
- 1989 – PhD, Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- 1982 – MA, Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- 1979 – MA, Philosophy, Haifa University, Haifa, Palestine
- 1975 – BA, Philosophy and Hebrew Literature, Haifa University, Haifa, Palestine
Academic Employment
- 2022 – Present – Chancellor’s Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
- 2016 – Present – Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Graduate Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada
- 2010 – Present – Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- 2003 – 2022 – Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
- 2012 – 2018 – Status Professor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- 1995 – 2003 – Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University
- 1991 – 1995 – Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
- 1990 – 1991 – Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
- 1989 – 1990 – Research Fellow, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- 1977 – 1979 – Lecturer, Department of Philosophy of Education, Haifa University, Haifa, Palestine
Professional Honours
- 2025 – National Medal for Excellence in Feminist Scholarship in Canada, Centre for Feminist Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
- 2023 – Member, Advisory Board, Canadian Museum of Human Rights, Winnipeg, Canada
- 2017 – 2021 – John Porter Committee Members, Canadian Sociological Association, Canada
- 2014 – 2015 – Marston LaFrance Research Award, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
- 2013 – 2014 – Research Achievement Award, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Editorial Responsibilities
- 2019 – Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies.
- 2018 – Member, Editorial Board, The Journal of Humanities and Social Science.
- 2015 – Member, Advisory Board, Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies.
- 2011 – Member, Advisory Board, Post-Colonial Directions in Education/Malta.
- 2011 – Member, Review Board, Journal of Women, Politics and Policy.
- 2010 – Member, Editorial Board, International Feminist Journal of Politics.
- 2010 – Member, Editorial Board, Studies in Social Justice.
- 2009 – Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Alternative Routes (AR), Carleton University.
- 2002 – Associate Editor, Journal of Comparative Family Studies.
- 2002 – Member, Editorial Board, Canadian Ethnic Studies.
- 2001 – Member, International Advisory Board, Women’s Studies International Forum.
- 1996 – Member, International Advisory Board, News from Within.
Academic Responsibilities
Graduate Courses
- Race, Ethnicity and Class in Contemporary Society
- Doing Fieldwork in an International Context
- The Political Economy of the Middle East
- Gender, State and Citizenship in the Middle East
- Race, Ethnicity and Class in the Middle East
- Social Movements
- Feminist Analysis
Undergraduate Courses
- Women and the State in the Middle East
- Women and Everyday Life
- Nation, Race, Gender and Citizenship
- The Development of Sociological Thought
- Selected Topics in Race and Ethnic Studies
- Classical Sociological and Anthropological Theory
Research Grants
| Year | Source | Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Heinrich Böll Foundation | Contextualizing Women’s Struggle Against Violence | $3,000 |
| 2008 | Social Sciences Research Council | The NGOs in the Middle East | $3,000 |
| 2004 – 2008 | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council | Media Images and Palestinian and Israeli Women Fighters (with Dorit Naaman) | $176,000 |
| 2001 | Social Sciences Research Council | Social Science Research and the Public Sphere | $6,000 |
| 2000 | International Development Research Centre | A Gendered Approach to Compensation of Refugees | $20,000 |
| 1999 – 2001 | International Development Research Centre | Establishing a Gender Research Unit at Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP) | $180,000 |
| 1997 | International Development Research Centre | “Investigating Palestinian Women’s Socio-Economic Conditions” | $20,000 |
| 1993 | International Development Research Centre | Needs Assessment of Palestinian Women | $28,000 |
Professional Services
- 2023 – Member, Tenure and Promotions Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2023 – Member, Colloquium Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2023 – Member, Alumni Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2019 – 2021 – Member, Tenure and Promotions Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2017 – Chair, Colloquium Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2015 – 2016 – Member, Colloquium Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2015 – 2016 – Member, Sociology Graduate Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2015 – 2018 – Member, Prizes and Awards Committee, Carleton University Academic Senate, Carleton University.
- 2013 – 2014 – Chair, Colloquium Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
- 2013 – Member, Promotions Appeals Committee, Carleton University Academic Senate, Carleton University.
- 2012 – Member, Colloquium Committee, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University.
Conference Organizing
- 2010 – Conference Organizer (with Ruba Saleh, Exeter University) three panels, July 19-22, World Congress of Middle East Studies (WOCMES), Barcelona, Spain.
- 2009 – Conference Organizer, “International Workshop: Indigenous Issues and the State: Canada and Israel Compared”, 21 May, Women Against Violence Organization (WAVO), Nazareth, Palestine.
- 2008 – Conference Organizer (with May Tlemsany), International Conference: Counterpoints: Edward Said Legacy, October 31 – November 2, Carleton University and University of Ottawa, Canada.
Consultancies and Contract Research
- 2014 – “Women, Patriarchy and Violence in Israel”, expert report, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 2009 – “Women, the State and Citizenship: Lecture Series”, Violence Against Women (VAW) Centre, Nazareth, Palestine.
- 2009 – “Palestinian Women and the Israeli Political Economy”, research sponsored by IDRC and executed by MADA Research Centre, Haifa, Palestine.
- 2008 – “Participatory Research Methods Training”, research contract, Palestinian Women’s Research and Documentation Centre.
- 2007 – “Human Rights Violations within the PNA”, contract research, Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights.
- 2007 – “Gender and Sexuality in Morocco”, expert report, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 2006 – “Women and Poverty in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: A Critical Literature Review”, United Nations Economic and Social Council.
- 2005 – “Expulsion and Displacement: Palestinian Women’s Ordeals in East Jerusalem”, contract research, Women’s Studies Centre, Ramallah, Palestine.
- 2004 – “Violence Against Women: The Moroccan Case”, expert report, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 2004 – “The Palestinian Ministry of Women’s Affairs: Action Plan for 2005–07”, consultant, UNDP/Palestinian Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Palestine.
- 2004 – “Gender Assessment of Education in ERfKE’s Program for Jordan”, consultant, Canadian International Development Agency, Canada.
- 2003 – “Mixed Marriages among Palestinians”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 2003 – “Moroccan Women and Divorce”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 2000 – “How to Write the Gender in Research on Refugees”, paper solicited by International Development Research Centre.
- 1999 – “Gender and the State in Muslim Countries”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1998 – “Divorced Women and Social Services in Syria”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1997 – “Marrying Without Parental Consensus: A Jordanian Case”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1996 – “Women and Family Honour in Lebanon”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1995 – “Income Generating Projects in Palestine: Problems and Prospects”, study submitted to International Development and Refugee Foundation.
- 1994 – “The Status of Women in Muslim Countries: The Case of Egypt”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1994 – “The Status of Women in Muslim Countries: The Case of Lebanon”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1993 – “The Status of Women in Muslim Countries: The Case of Yemen”, expert paper, Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada.
- 1993 – “Refugees: Towards National and Gender Self-determination”, policy paper for the Director-General of Corporate Affairs and Initiatives Division, Department of External Affairs, Canada.