Prof. Nadje Al Ali's Inaugural Lecture: Transnational feminist journeys to and from the Middle East

Professor Nadje Al Ali's Inaugural Lecture entitled "On Not Travelling Lightly: Transnational feminist journeys to and from the Middle East" was given on 18 May 2011 at SOAS, University of London.

What does "gender studies" mean in the context of research in and on the Middle East? What baggage do we carry when engaging in transnational feminist solidarity with women' s rights activists in the region? The lecture will reflect on the relevance of gender as an analytical category and as a political concept. Focusing on her work in relation to the Middle East, particularly Egypt and Iraq, Professor Al-Ali will explore the interconnections as well as tensions between academic and activist trajectories.

Professor Nadje Al-Ali is Chair of the SOAS Centre for Gender Studies. She has published widely on women and gender in the Middle East, particularly Egypt and Iraq. Nadje is currently President of the Association of Middle East Women's Studies (AMEWS). She is also a member of the Feminist Review Collective and a founding member of Act Together: Women's Action for Iraq. (www.acttogether.org)