Sunera Thobani is a Professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts. Her academic career bridges the Social Sciences and Humanities, with a focus on critical race, postcolonial, transnational and feminist theory. She has established herself as a leading scholar examining the intersections of race, gender, religion, and geopolitical power dynamics, particularly as they relate to South Asian communities and Muslim populations in North America and South Asia. Thobani's educational background includes a PhD in Sociology from Simon Fraser University, an MA in Social Science from the University of Colorado, and a BA in Social Science from Middlesex University in the UK. Her academic trajectory reflects her interdisciplinary approach that combines rigorous scholarly analysis with deep commitment to social justice. Her research interests focus on critical race theory, postcolonial and transnational feminist theory, South Asian women's, gender and sexuality studies, representations of Islam and Muslims in South Asian and Western media, South Asian Diasporic Films, Muslim Women and Islamophobia, the war on terror, intersectionality, social movements, colonialism, indigeneity, racial violence, and globalization. Her work uniquely connects theoretical frameworks with real-world political struggles, particularly those affecting disenfranchised communities. Thobani's recent publications reveal a clear evolution toward examining the intersections of systemic inequalities, particularly how the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated racial, gender, and economic disparities. Her work consistently centers on the experiences of marginalized communities while challenging dominant narratives in academia and public discourse. She has made significant contributions to understanding the racial politics of citizenship, the gendered dimensions of state violence, and the cultural politics of empire. Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2022) Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation for the Advancement of South Asians (2022) The Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, UBC (2021) The Sarah Shorten Award, Canadian Association of University Teachers (2017) Hands Against Racism Community Award, Spice Radio (2017) Thobani's academic work follows in the tradition of scholarship of engagement, deeply informed by her activism in anti-racist, feminist, and anti-war movements. She has served as Director of the Race, Autobiography, Gender and Age (RAGA) Center at UBC, Founding Member of Researchers and Academics of Colour for Equity (RACE) Canada, Ruth Wynn Woodward Chair of Women's Studies at Simon Fraser University, and President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women in Canada. She has organized and spoken at numerous international conferences addressing women's rights, racial justice, and peace initiatives across multiple continents. Her institutional work has focused on building critical race studies programs and advancing racial justice within Canadian universities. She has been instrumental in organizing significant academic events addressing racial (in)justice in higher education, including the Coloniality and Racial (in)Justice in the University book launch (2022) and the Racial (Injustice) In the Canadian University symposium (2017).
