Shireen Hassim

Shireen Hassim is the Canada 150 Research Chair in Gender and African Politics at Carleton University’s Institute of African Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD from York University and is a full professor of political studies, previously at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), where she remains affiliated through WISER (Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research).

Her research focuses on feminist theory, gender and politics, African political dynamics, social movements, and collective action. She is particularly known for her work on women’s political organizations, democracy in South Africa, xenophobia, and the historical role of the ANC Women’s League.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trajectory in feminist political analysis and African democratic development, often intersecting gender, race, and state formation. Her scholarship bridges academic and public engagement, contributing to policy and historical memory.

• Victoria Shuck Award, American Political Science Association

She has supervised numerous graduate students and is actively involved in major research initiatives, including leadership roles in the Women’s Living History Monument and the Human Sciences Research Council. She also serves on the Wits Council and the ASSAf Council. Her current research includes a biography of Fatima Meer, a pioneering South African intellectual and activist.