Northwestern University in Qatar will explore anti-Blackness and racial privilege within the context of the Global South at its upcoming Rawabet conference, "Questioning Anti-Blackness and Racial Privilege in the Global South," taking place on November 11 -12, 2024, at its campus in Education City.
The conference will convene interdisciplinary scholars, media practitioners, and award-winning creative artists over two days to engage in discussions on the historical roots, socio-economic impacts, and contemporary manifestations of racial dynamics across Global South societies. By examining how anti-Blackness and racial privilege stem from colonial histories and continue to shape relationships between South-South societies, the conference will illuminate the lasting impact of slavery and colonialism across regions, highlighting the connections between historical legacies and present-day realities.
Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar, emphasized the importance of the conference series in bridging local perspectives with global dialogues. “Rawabet is an opportunity for us to bring together diverse voices, reflecting our commitment to connecting local realities with global conversations,” said Kraidy. “As an institution with deep ties to the region, we believe it is crucial to create spaces where regional experiences can inform global discussions, offering insights that are both timely and relevant. By organizing such initiatives, we aim to strengthen our role as a hub for scholarship that bridges academia and societal issues, uniquely positioning Northwestern Qatar in Doha to connect regional perspectives with the global academic community.”
The Rawabet series, named after the Arabic word for “nexus,” aims to create an international platform for intellectual engagement that addresses critical issues impacting the Global South. Each conference centers on a theme, encouraging discourse that draws connections between timeless issues and timely topics, all while aligning with Northwestern Qatar's mission of promoting academic excellence, collaboration, and intercultural understanding within the region's unique social, cultural, and political contexts.
“The question of race in the Global South is one that is deeply intertwined with the legacies of colonialism, staggering wealth divides, and ongoing contestations of racial capitalism,” said Zachary Wright, associate dean for faculty affairs and conference lead. “Through this conference, we aim to create a space where scholars and practitioners can engage critically with these issues, offering perspectives that are often underrepresented in mainstream academic discourse. It is a testament to Northwestern Qatar's commitment to tackling complex global questions from a regional lens.”
The conference will convene interdisciplinary scholars, media practitioners, and award-winning creative artists over two days to engage in discussions on the historical roots, socio-economic impacts, and contemporary manifestations of racial dynamics across Global South societies. By examining how anti-Blackness and racial privilege stem from colonial histories and continue to shape relationships between South-South societies, the conference will illuminate the lasting impact of slavery and colonialism across regions, highlighting the connections between historical legacies and present-day realities.
Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar, emphasized the importance of the conference series in bridging local perspectives with global dialogues. “Rawabet is an opportunity for us to bring together diverse voices, reflecting our commitment to connecting local realities with global conversations,” said Kraidy. “As an institution with deep ties to the region, we believe it is crucial to create spaces where regional experiences can inform global discussions, offering insights that are both timely and relevant. By organizing such initiatives, we aim to strengthen our role as a hub for scholarship that bridges academia and societal issues, uniquely positioning Northwestern Qatar in Doha to connect regional perspectives with the global academic community.”
The Rawabet series, named after the Arabic word for “nexus,” aims to create an international platform for intellectual engagement that addresses critical issues impacting the Global South. Each conference centers on a theme, encouraging discourse that draws connections between timeless issues and timely topics, all while aligning with Northwestern Qatar's mission of promoting academic excellence, collaboration, and intercultural understanding within the region's unique social, cultural, and political contexts.
“The question of race in the Global South is one that is deeply intertwined with the legacies of colonialism, staggering wealth divides, and ongoing contestations of racial capitalism,” said Zachary Wright, associate dean for faculty affairs and conference lead. “Through this conference, we aim to create a space where scholars and practitioners can engage critically with these issues, offering perspectives that are often underrepresented in mainstream academic discourse. It is a testament to Northwestern Qatar's commitment to tackling complex global questions from a regional lens.”
“As an institution with deep ties to the region, we believe it is crucial to create spaces where regional experiences can inform global discussions, offering insights that are both timely and relevant”
- Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar
The conference will feature workshops and panels designed to promote critical dialogue and collaboration among participants. The first day will begin with introductory remarks from Dean Kraidy and Associate Dean Wright, followed by a series of panels. The first panel, moderated by Scheherazade Safla, assistant professor at Northwestern Qatar, will address Black-Arab relations, with contributions from Rogaia Abusharaf and Sarah Gualtieri from Georgetown University in Qatar, creative and communications consultant Nisreen Kaj, and Dahlia El-Zein, assistant professor at Northwestern Qatar.
The afternoon session, moderated by Leila Tayeb, assistant professor at Northwestern Qatar, will focus on cultural knowledge production and the contestation of racism. The panel will feature speakers Bedour Alagraa from the University of Texas Austin, Laura Brueck and Ivy Wilson from Northwestern University, Muez Ali, senior research and policy associate at Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, and Sara Musaifer, postdoctoral research associate at New York University Abu Dhabi.
On the second day, the conference will continue with a panel on religion and racial liberation, featuring Rasul Miller from the University of California Irvine, Mafaz Suwaidan from Harvard University, Akintunde Akinade from Georgetown University in Qatar, and grammy-awarded spoken word artist Sulaiman, moderated by Hasan Mahmud, assistant professor at Northwestern Qatar.
The final panel, moderated by Sami Hermez, associate professor and director of the Liberal Arts Program at Northwestern Qatar, will explore racial colonialism and the question of Palestine, featuring Lynda Iroulo from Georgetown University in Qatar, Northwestern Qatar Associate Professor Greg Burris, and Farah El-Sharif of Stanford University.
The conference will conclude with a tour of the Ben Jelmood Slavery Museum, providing participants with an opportunity to engage with the historical context of the discussions.
This November’s conference is the latest installment in the Rawabet series, which serves as a platform for examining pressing issues affecting the Global South. Following this conference, Northwestern Qatar will examine the evolution of Qatar's media industry in its spring 2025 event, providing insights into its regional and international significance. Together, these conferences exemplify Northwestern Qatar's dedication to cultivating a rich discourse on critical social, cultural, and political issues that resonate throughout the Global South, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and integrated into the global conversation.
For more information about the conference and to register, click here.
The afternoon session, moderated by Leila Tayeb, assistant professor at Northwestern Qatar, will focus on cultural knowledge production and the contestation of racism. The panel will feature speakers Bedour Alagraa from the University of Texas Austin, Laura Brueck and Ivy Wilson from Northwestern University, Muez Ali, senior research and policy associate at Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, and Sara Musaifer, postdoctoral research associate at New York University Abu Dhabi.
On the second day, the conference will continue with a panel on religion and racial liberation, featuring Rasul Miller from the University of California Irvine, Mafaz Suwaidan from Harvard University, Akintunde Akinade from Georgetown University in Qatar, and grammy-awarded spoken word artist Sulaiman, moderated by Hasan Mahmud, assistant professor at Northwestern Qatar.
The final panel, moderated by Sami Hermez, associate professor and director of the Liberal Arts Program at Northwestern Qatar, will explore racial colonialism and the question of Palestine, featuring Lynda Iroulo from Georgetown University in Qatar, Northwestern Qatar Associate Professor Greg Burris, and Farah El-Sharif of Stanford University.
The conference will conclude with a tour of the Ben Jelmood Slavery Museum, providing participants with an opportunity to engage with the historical context of the discussions.
This November’s conference is the latest installment in the Rawabet series, which serves as a platform for examining pressing issues affecting the Global South. Following this conference, Northwestern Qatar will examine the evolution of Qatar's media industry in its spring 2025 event, providing insights into its regional and international significance. Together, these conferences exemplify Northwestern Qatar's dedication to cultivating a rich discourse on critical social, cultural, and political issues that resonate throughout the Global South, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and integrated into the global conversation.
For more information about the conference and to register, click here.
