معرفی
Sunaina Maira is a Professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis, affiliated with the Middle East/South Asia Studies program and the Cultural Studies Graduate Group. Her research focuses on youth culture, political activism, and transnational movements challenging militarization and U.S. empire, with a particular emphasis on South Asian, Arab, and Afghan American communities. She has conducted ethnographic work on Yemeni Americans in Oakland during the pandemic and produced digital stories with Arab Americans to highlight marginalized narratives.
Her research spans topics such as the War on Terror, surveillance, and Islamophobia, informed by her community activism and involvement in immigrant rights and Palestine solidarity movements. Maira has authored five monographs, including The 9/11 Generation and Boycott!: The Academy and Justice for Palestine, and co-edited influential works like The Imperial University and Contours of the Heart, which won the American Book Award in 1997.
- Key Projects: Mellon/ACLS Scholars and Society Fellow (2019-20), transnational research on Arab refugees, and community-engaged work with Yemeni corner store owners.
- Awards: American Book Award (1997).
- Advising: Faculty advisor for Students for Justice in Palestine at UC Davis.
Her publications critically examine youth activism, gender, and the intersections of race, citizenship, and empire. Maira’s work bridges academia and activism, advocating for marginalized communities through scholarly and community-driven initiatives.
