Reem Abou-Samra

Reem Abou-Samra is a Lecturer in the Department of American Culture at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Wayne State University, with minors in World and American Politics, and dual Master's degrees in Political Science and Near Eastern Studies. Her research focuses on identity politics, Islamic studies, and the intersection of race, religion, and power in American and Middle Eastern contexts. She teaches courses on Arab American Studies and utilizes a dialectical approach emphasizing agency and structure in her pedagogy.

Education:

• Ph.D., Political Science (Political Theory), Wayne State University, 2014
• M.A., Political Science (Political Theory), Wayne State University, 2012
• M.A., Classical Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (Arabic and Islam), Wayne State University, 2009
• B.A., Political Science, University of Massachusetts, 2006

Research Interests: Muslim American identity and patriotism, Pan-Arabism, hadith authentication, Du Boisian theory, and the cultural history of SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) regions.

Teaching: Courses include 'Arab in America' and 'Introduction to Arab-American Studies.' Her pedagogy emphasizes interactive discussions to empower students' agency in shaping narratives and environments.

Labs/Teams: Engaged with interdisciplinary research in American Culture and Arab/Muslim American Studies programs at the University of Michigan.