معرفی
Dr. Yasmina El Chami is a Lecturer in Architectural Humanities at the University of Sheffield's School of Architecture and Landscape, where she has been employed since 2022. She also serves as the School Decolonial Lead. Her academic credentials include a BArch from the American University of Beirut (2010), an MPhil in Architecture and Urban Design from the Architectural Association London (2013), and a PhD in Architecture from the University of Cambridge (2022).
Her research explores colonial/imperial histories and built environment production, focusing on informal imperial actors in the 19th-20th centuries. Current projects examine American campus-building in the post-WWI Eastern Mediterranean and missionary architecture in Ottoman Lebanon. Primary interests include: colonial urban development, geopolitical architecture, missionary networks, material culture in imperial contexts, and decolonial methodologies in architectural education.
Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent focus on architectural geopolitics in Middle Eastern contexts, with recent publications emphasizing missionary institutions and informal imperialism. Article topics range from American missionary campuses in Beirut to Jesuit architectural projects, reflecting sustained interest in cross-cultural architectural exchange.
Awards and Fellowships:
- Graham Foundation Research Grant (2023)
- Cambridge International Scholarship (2017-20)
- Scouloudi Junior Fellowship (2020-21)
- Hawksmoor Essay Medal (2020)
- Global Urban History Fellowship (2022-23)
- Presbyterian Historical Society Fellowship (2020)
At Sheffield, she leads undergraduate humanities modules and the MArch Dissertation program. She secured a £7,500 grant to establish a UK-wide Decolonial Architecture Network (2022-23), resulting in a workshop. Current initiatives include implementing decolonial learning outcomes across curricula and conducting faculty development activities.
