HBA (Haya) Alfarra

Biography

Haya AlFarra is an external part-time PhD candidate at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, Rotterdam. She holds an MA in development studies from the University of Melbourne, an MSc in Global Politics, from the London School of Economic and Political Science, University of London, and a BA in Political Science with a specialization in international relations and a minor in economics from the American University in Cairo. Haya has a diverse work experience having worked as a civil servant, with civil society, and in academia. Her research focuses on diasporas as non-traditional humanitarian actors in protracted humanitarian situations. She problematises mainstream understandings of diaspora humanitarianism by traditional humanitarian actors, donors, and epistemic communities. Centring diasporas’ voices, perceptions, and practices she aims to put a spotlight on how non-traditional humanitarian actors can help us reimagine and transform humanitarianism. Haya investigates how donor countries’ history, politics, and power influence diaspora humanitarian policies and the (in)visibility of certain diaspora communities. She explores perceptions and practices of diaspora humanitarians engaged in medical humanitarian assistance and examines to what extent do they claim new spaces, and challenge and change power dynamics in the field. Haya is focusing on Palestinian diaspora in Germany engaged in medical humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip, the occupied Palestinian territory.

Her research interests include humanitarianism, diaspora humanitarianism, diaspora engagement, medical humanitarian assistance, donor policies, Palestine, epistemic justice, decolonization, and decoloniality.