Department of Anthropology doctoral student Marwa Bakabas was featured as the Diversity Torch in the College of Social Science “Diversity Matters” issue for Arab American Heritage Month. Arab American Heritage Month commemorates the contributions of Arab Americans to American life and their struggles to receive full protections as American citizens. The College of Social Science Diversity Torches celebrate students who uphold a diversity value or ideal. As “Diversity Torches,” they provide light, guidance, and awareness to their fellow students and all who see them.

Marwa Bakabas is a sociocultural anthropology PhD student in the Department of Anthropology whose work centers on violence, forced migration, exile, and trauma in the Middle East. While writing her Master’s thesis in Lebanon, Marwa decided she wanted to apply for a PhD and expand her focus from studying refugees that are displaced in Lebanon and Greece to also include the Yemeni refugee community. Marwa explains that MSU was a great fit because they had more opportunities to both become an academic practitioner and to continue work as an activist. Her dissertation will focus on the visibility of the war and conflict in Yemen and the subsequent displacement/exile of Yemenis.

In both her personal and professional life, Marwa is inspired by the Arab Americans making a difference in their communities, noting “as Arab-Americans, we have a choice in how we embrace or neglect our identity and so many of my counterparts and friends that I have crossed paths with have inspired me, especially those who continue to preserve our traditions while helping spread awareness and knowledge to break stereotypes.”

Marwa also explains, “We can all be better allies by standing in solidarity with one another. Many groups face marginalization and racism in America and all over the world. We need to stand together and build stronger allyship instead of amplifying our differences.”