Nadine Naber

Dr. Nadine Naber is a Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), holding appointments in the Gender and Women's Studies Program, Global Asian Studies Program, and Department of Anthropology. She is the Co-PI of the Middle East and Muslim Societies Cluster and Co-Organizer of the Global Middle East Studies Working Group. Her research focuses on gender, race, Arab American communities, and social movements. Naber has authored/co-edited five books, including award-winning works on Arab American feminisms and cultural politics. She has received prestigious awards such as the 2022 ASA Lifetime Achievement Prize and the 2021 Mellon Humanities without Walls Award.

Education:

• PhD in Cultural Anthropology/Women's Studies, University of California, Davis
• MA in Philosophy, San Francisco State University
• BA in Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of San Diego

Research Interests: Naber’s work bridges academia and activism, examining intersections of race, gender, and power in Arab American communities. She explores topics like social movements, decolonial methodologies, and radical pedagogy. Her recent projects include Pedagogies of the Radical Mother and Social Movement Led Research Methodologies.

Awards:

• 2022 ASA Lifetime Achievement Prize
• 2021 Andrew W. Mellon Humanities without Walls Award
• 2012 Arab American Book Award (for Arab and Arab American Feminisms)
• 2002 YWCA Y-Women’s Leadership Award

Advising & Grants: Naber co-founded Arab and Muslim American Studies at the University of Michigan and founded the Arab American Cultural Center at UIC. She currently advises on policy reports and leads grant-funded initiatives. Her editorial roles include the Journal of Palestine Studies, and she serves on boards like Al-Shabakah and the Feminist Peace Initiative.

Labs/Teams: Co-organizes the Global Middle East Studies Working Group at UIC, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on Middle Eastern studies.