Social Justice Fellows Seminar

Join us for the second session of our Social Justice Graduate Fellow Seminars. 

We will hear about the work of three fellows: 

• Nabiha Yahiaoui (1:00 - 2:05 pm) 
• Elham Mohtashamzadeh (2:20 - 3:25 pm)
• Varda Nisar (3:40 - 4:45 pm)

The goal of these seminars is to give constructive feedback to our fellows on their work-in-progress.

Each talk will last 30-35 minutes, followed by an invited commentary of 5-10 minutes, and a discussion of 15-20 minutes.

Vegan snacks and refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome. 

Note: Please arrive early to get coffee and snacks, so we can start at 1 pm on the zoom. 

Join us

In person: SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation (LB-145 in the J. W. Mc Connell Building)

Join us remotely: Register on zoom to get the link

Session 1: 1:00 - 2:05 Nabiha Yahiaoui  

Title: Nationalism, Racial Capitalism, and Modern Liberal Islamophobia in Quebec: Towards a Queer Feminist Anti-Racist Historical Materialism 

Abstract: The global crisis of the early 70’s as well as the solidification of U.S. imperialism in the Middle East and North Africa through the “War on Terror” has set the stage for anti-Muslim racism to rise to global prominence. Modern islamophobia and its liberal tropes of gender equality, LGBT rights, and individual freedom was deployed as a rationale for both international and domestic racial dominance in liberal democracies. In my project, I examine the specificities of Modern Liberal Islamophobia in the context of Quebec debates on national identity, starting with the 2008 “crisis of accommodations” leading up to the “secular bill” 21. Through this historical conjuncture, I aim to articulate the roles of nationalism and modern liberal islamophobia in the reproduction of Quebec racial capitalism, particularly following the 2008 global financial crisis.

Nabiha Yahiaoui is a PhD student in the Social and Cultural Analysis program at the Sociology and Anthropology Department. She recently worked as an instructor at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute where she taught her first special topics course titled Sexuality in Racial Capitalism.

Respondent: Beverly Best, Professor (Sociology and Anthropology)

Session 2: 2:20 - 3:25 Elham Mohtashamzadeh 

Title: The Girls of Enqelab Street: Fractured Voices, Sharad Struggle

Abstract: Elham Mohtashamzadeh’s research critically engages with the “Girls of Enqelab Street” (2017–2018) movement to interrogate reductive conceptualizations of collective identity within Iranian women’s resistance. Contesting the analytical adequacy of paradigms such as “Non-Movement,” the study foregrounds GES as a complex, semi-virtual formation marked by decentralized structures and a heterogeneity of actors and motivations. Central to this analysis is the contested media presence of exiled activist-journalist Masih Alinejad, whose campaigns—My Stealthy Freedom, White Wednesdays, and My Camera My Weapon—significantly shaped and polarized public narratives. By addressing theoretical lacunae in prevailing social movement frameworks and attending to the dialectical tensions between secular and religious forces, this project contributes to a more robust theorization of contemporary women’s mobilizations and their transformative potential across the MENA region.

Elham Mohtashamzadeh is a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Concordia University. Her research lies at the intersection of gender, media, and social movements, with a particular focus on contemporary forms of women’s activism in the Middle East. Building on her background in Critical Gender Studies, her current project explores the “Girls of Enqelab Street” protest (2017–2018) in Iran, critically examining how collective identity is constructed, represented, and contested within diasporic and digital spaces. Her work interrogates dominant frameworks in social movement theory and seeks to illuminate the complexities of feminist resistance under authoritarian regimes. Through this research, she aims to contribute to broader conversations on justice, representation, and democratic transformation in the MENA region.

Respondent: Deniz Duruiz (Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology) 

Session 3: 3:40 - 4:45 Varda Nisar

Title: Museums in a post-neutral world: Case studies from Pakistan.

Abstract: As museums increasingly refuse to take a position or insist on taking a 'neutral' position, what lessons can we learn from museums that emerged on the world map following the decolonization wave of the 1940s and 1950s? By closely examining museums in Pakistan, the talk adds to the dictum that museums are not only not neutral but also highly political and choreographed ventures.

Varda is a doctoral candidate in Concordia’s Department of Art History and a Public Scholar (2022-23). Currently, she is the Scholar in Residence at the Centre of Oral History and Digital Storytelling. Her work diverges in several directions, including art education and community outreach, engaging with the work of artists from Pakistan and South Asia.

Respondent: Sowparnika Balaswaminathan (Assistant Professor, Religion and culture)