Suaad Alghafal

Dr. Suaad Alghafal was a Research Fellow at the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) from December 2016 to May 2018. Her work focuses on public spaces as political arenas, particularly analyzing Maydān al-Shuhadāʾ (Martyrs' Square) in Tripoli, Libya, across historical periods from Italian colonial rule to post-Gaddafi conflicts. She employs qualitative methods, including archival research and interviews, guided by Henri Lefebvre’s spatial theory.

Her research examines how governments and non-state actors have contested and utilized public spaces to shape political and social spheres, with an emphasis on Libya’s socio-political transformations since the 1920s. The study highlights the square’s role as a site of both peaceful assembly and contention, reflecting broader struggles over urban identity and governance.

No academic awards, grants, or student advisories are explicitly documented in the provided text. She contributed to collaborative projects such as the Ghadames Heritage Project and Spaces of Participation research initiatives at ZMO.