Farah Fawzi Ali, a Master of Arts student in Global African Studies at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, participated in Speaker Series Panel 2: “In Transit: Diaspora, Material Memory and the Wisdom of Things,” held on January 31, 2026, at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village.
The panel examined how everyday objects and material practices shape memory, belonging, and diasporic life across borders. It was moderated by Derick Gladston Zeeno and featured Prof. Neha Vora, Professor of Anthropology at the American University of Sharjah; Prof. Anju Paul, Professor of Social Research and Public Policy at New York University Abu Dhabi; Homa Farley, UAE-based master potter, ceramic designer, and educator; and Ali.
Farah Ali, an Egyptian–Filipina researcher, curator, and literary writer specializing in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, contributed perspectives informed by her work in cultural research and curatorial practice, with a focus on material culture and memory.
The discussion was framed by the history of Ras Al Khaimah, known in earlier centuries as Julfar, a port city central to Indian Ocean trade networks. The panel highlighted how civilization is shaped not only by monuments but also by everyday materials that travel across borders. Panelists discussed Ras Al Khaimah’s historical role in trade and how objects carry care, craft, and memory across diasporic networks.
Rather than focusing on monuments or fixed heritage, the conversation centered on everyday materials such as ceramics, tools, and domestic objects as records of lived experience. The panel reflected on how such things continue to mediate identity and belonging in contemporary diasporic contexts.
Read Farah Fawzi Ali’s full student profile to learn more about her research and academic journey.
Farah Fawzi Ali, a Master of Arts student in Global African Studies at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, participated in Speaker Series Panel 2: “In Transit: Diaspora, Material Memory and the Wisdom of Things,” held on January 31, 2026, at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village.
Farah Fawzi Ali, a Master of Arts student in Global African Studies at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, participated in Speaker Series Panel 2: “In Transit: Diaspora, Material Memory and the Wisdom of Things,” held on January 31, 2026, at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village.
The panel examined how everyday objects and material practices shape memory, belonging, and diasporic life across borders. It was moderated by Derick Gladston Zeeno and featured Prof. Neha Vora, Professor of Anthropology at the American University of Sharjah; Prof. Anju Paul, Professor of Social Research and Public Policy at New York University Abu Dhabi; Homa Farley, UAE-based master potter, ceramic designer, and educator; and Ali.
Farah Ali, an Egyptian–Filipina researcher, curator, and literary writer specializing in Museum and Critical Heritage Studies, contributed perspectives informed by her work in cultural research and curatorial practice, with a focus on material culture and memory.
The discussion was framed by the history of Ras Al Khaimah, known in earlier centuries as Julfar, a port city central to Indian Ocean trade networks. The panel highlighted how civilization is shaped not only by monuments but also by everyday materials that travel across borders. Panelists discussed Ras Al Khaimah’s historical role in trade and how objects carry care, craft, and memory across diasporic networks.
Rather than focusing on monuments or fixed heritage, the conversation centered on everyday materials such as ceramics, tools, and domestic objects as records of lived experience. The panel reflected on how such things continue to mediate identity and belonging in contemporary diasporic contexts.
Read Farah Fawzi Ali’s full student profile to learn more about her research and academic journey.
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