Kareem Rabie

Kareem Rabie is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC), affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His work centers on privatization, urban development, and state-building in the West Bank, with recent research exploring Sino-Palestinian trade networks. He previously held positions as Assistant Professor at American University (2015–2021), Harper-Schmidt Fellow at the University of Chicago, and Marie Curie Fellow/Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford’s COMPAS.

Education: PhD in Anthropology from CUNY Graduate Center (2015); BA in Anthropology from University of Chicago (2002).

Research Focus: Examines neoliberal capitalism’s role in Palestinian state-building, particularly through urban development projects like Rawabi. Current work investigates China-West Bank economic and social linkages, including commodity circulation and trader networks. His 2021 book Palestine Is Throwing a Party and the Whole World Is Invited critiques how neoliberal policies entrench occupation.

Key Projects: Supported by ACLS, Wenner-Gren, Graham Foundation, and UIC Institute for the Humanities. Upcoming talks include presentations at UCLA, University of Washington, and UIC Institute for the Humanities.

Grants: ACLS Fellowship (2020), Wenner-Gren Post-PhD Research Grant (2020), Graham Foundation grant, and Marie Curie Fellowship.