Lagdaf Souadou

Lagdaf Souadou is an Associate Professor of History of Islamic Countries (STAA-01/J) at the University of Catania. She is affiliated with the PhD program in Heritage and Cultural Production Sciences. Since 2024, she has held an associate member position with collaborative mandate at the Institute of Mediterranean Studies (ISMED) of the National Research Council (CNR). Her research focuses on Western Sahara's colonial history, the Sanusiyya Sufi brotherhood in Libya, and socio-cultural dynamics in Mauritanian society, including gender and migration topics.

Her academic contributions include a monograph titled *"Unresolved Colonization: Western Sahara from Spain to Morocco"*, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles in journals such as The Journal of North African Studies, Oriente Moderno, Meridiana, and Revista de Estudios Internacionales Mediterráneos (REIM). She actively participates in editorial roles, serving on the boards of *Meridiana*, *Global Environment*, and the *Intelligere* series. She also contributes to academic networks like the Western Sahara International Academic Observatory (OUISO) and the University Center for Studies on Western Sahara (CESO).

Her professional memberships include leadership roles at the Carmelo Salanitro Sicilian Institute for the History of Contemporary Italy (ISSICO) and editorial oversight for interdisciplinary publications addressing identity and otherness. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary socio-political issues in North Africa and the Mediterranean.