Sara Farhan

Dr. Sara Farhan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), based in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Her work focuses on modern Middle Eastern history, particularly the histories of medicine, professionalization, and education, with an emphasis on Iraq. She holds a PhD from York University (2019) and has taught at institutions in Canada and the Middle East. Her research explores colonial legacies, state-building, and social hierarchies through interdisciplinary lenses, combining medical, legal, and archival studies.

Dr. Farhan’s expertise includes the role of expertise in state formation, Cold War medical diplomacy, and the gendered dynamics of professionalization. She is deeply engaged in archival studies, particularly in Iraq, examining the vulnerabilities of archives and their impact on historical memory. She teaches courses on modern world history, colonialism, public health, gender studies, and postcolonial historiography.

Her research also addresses legal and medical categorizations of deviance, such as juvenile delinquency, and the intersection of science, law, and gender. She currently supervises MA students in History and Gender Studies at UNBC, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and archival rigor.

Dr. Farhan’s work challenges conventional historiographies, focusing on decolonial and postcolonial frameworks. She is available as a media expert on topics related to Middle Eastern history, medical history, and archival preservation.