Valentine M. Moghadam

Northeastern University

2024 Recipient

Valentine M. Moghadam  

This year’s MESA Jere L. Bacharach service award is given to Valentine Moghadam, in recognition of her exceptional service to the field of Middle East studies, particularly the study of women and gender in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. 

Dr. Moghadam is professor of sociology and international affairs at Northeastern University. Dr. Moghadam was previously the Director of Middle and Mediterranean Studies, the Director of the International Affairs Program, and a fellow in the Program on Women’s Rights in the Middle East, Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. Prior to her position at Northeastern University, Professor Moghadam brought her expertise to policy-oriented research, advocacy, networking, and institution-building for women’s participation and rights in her capacity as the Chief of the Section on Gender Equality and Development, Human Rights Division of UNESCO. One of her projects aided in the establishment of a Palestinian Women’s Research and Documentation Center in Ramallah, in addition to cultivating a UNESCO network on Global Women’s Studies/Gender Research. 

For MESA, Dr. Moghadam has served as program committee chair for the annual meeting; on the editorial board of the International Journal of Middle East Studies; the Malcom H. Kerr dissertation award, and the Albert Hourani book award.

For the Association of Middle East Women’s Studies (AMEWS), she was one of the founding members in 1985; was a member of editorial board of its Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies; and has served extensively on the human rights committee. She later served as president of AMEWS as well, and in that capacity continues as a honorary member of the AMEWS board. 

Her service extends beyond to other journals, research advisory groups, international organizations, and other academic associations, to including editing a book series, and conducting dozens of manuscript and external faculty reviews. 

Most recently, Dr. Moghadam is a co-founder and co-organizer of the Feminist Political Economy of MENA (FEMME) Network in 2020, which is committed to the study of political economy of women and gender in the MENA region, as well as the Global Women’s Studies/Gender Research Network. 

In addition, throughout her career, Professor Moghadam’s exceptional, groundbreaking scholarship has opened innovative ways of thinking about the region. She also stands out for her unwavering support for her students. Professor Moghadam has been known to co-author articles with junior faculty and graduate students to help with their careers, as well as reading and offering thorough feedback. She somehow finds time in her schedule to hold Zoom guest lectures or write letters of recommendations. She joins workshops, and organizes panels or chairs them. Her generosity with her time and wisdom offer an antidote to a ruthless vision of academia, instead illustrating, by example, of how to serve others through collaboration.

This award is therefore given to Dr. Moghadam in recognition of her outstanding and multifaceted service to the field of Middle East studies

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