Zoe Davies

Zoe Davies is a Research Fellow and PhD candidate at the Australian National University (ANU) within the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies. She holds a BA from the University of Melbourne and an MA (Advanced) in Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies from ANU, where she received a Chancellor’s Letter of Commendation. Currently based in Sydney, she runs a communications consultancy while focusing on her doctoral research on colonial legacies in the Arab Gulf related to labour mobility. Her work also includes co-authoring a monograph with Prof Karima Laachir on the cultural memory of slavery in the Arab world.

• Education:
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne
• Masters (Advanced) in Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, ANU

Her research interests center on coloniality in the Arab world, including historical and contemporary labour dynamics, cultural memory, and the intersection of technology (e.g., AI) with socio-economic structures in Arab states. She has published in the Near East Policy Forum on topics ranging from colonial landscape narratives to AI-driven labour market shifts.

Recent publications reflect trends in postcolonial analysis and technological impact assessments within Arab contexts. Awards include the ANU RASS Director’s PhD Supplementary Stipend and academic commendations.

Advising and grants: Recipient of the ANU RASS stipend. Her research collaborations include work with Prof Karima Laachir. No listed grants, though her stipend supports her PhD.

Labs/teams: Affiliated with ANU’s Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, contributing to interdisciplinary projects on Middle Eastern history and contemporary socio-economic issues.