Sarah Moser

Sarah Moser is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at McGill University's Faculty of Arts, where she conducts research at the intersection of urban and cultural geography. Her office is located in Burnside Hall 413, and she can be reached at (514) 266-9908 or sarah.moser@mcgill.ca. Dr. Moser leads the New Cities Lab, which examines new cities, nation-building, migration, discourses of sustainability, and urban policy mobility from a human geography perspective.

Dr. Moser's academic background includes:

• PhD in Geography from the National University of Singapore
• Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Urban and Global Studies, Trinity College
• Postdoctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Her research primarily examines how national, religious, and ethnic identities shape cities in Southeast Asia and the Muslim world. Dr. Moser is particularly fascinated by the transnational circulation of identity, architecture and urban policy, and how cities across Asia are increasingly looking to other parts of the global south rather than to 'the west' for inspiration. Her current work investigates the global emergence of supra-national religious and ethnic identities and how they are manifested in urban form to serve secular nation-building purposes. She specifically examines emerging pan-Islamic identity, the 'Arabization' of Muslim identity, and emerging 'pan-Chinese' identities currently circulating in Asia.

Analysis of Dr. Moser's recent publications reveals a strong focus on new master-planned cities across the Global South, with particular attention to projects in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. Her work demonstrates interdisciplinary engagement across urban studies, political geography, cultural geography, and postcolonial studies, with recurring themes of identity construction, transnational influences, and the political dimensions of urban planning. The geographic scope of her research has expanded significantly over time, moving from initial Southeast Asian case studies to a truly global comparative perspective.

Dr. Moser's research has been supported through various grants that have enabled fieldwork in multiple countries where new city projects are underway. She has developed collaborative networks with researchers across the globe, particularly in regions where she conducts fieldwork. While specific grant details aren't provided in the available text, her extensive field-based research suggests substantial grant support for international travel and research assistance.

Dr. Moser directs the New Cities Lab at McGill University, which conducts field-based research examining new city projects in Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Kuwait, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, and Ecuador. The lab combines discourse analysis with on-the-ground investigation, interviewing government officials, planners, and those affected by these urban mega-developments. The lab maintains an active presence on social media, particularly Instagram (@new.cities.lab), to share research findings and engage with broader audiences.