MA in Global Affairs
Abla Mounib
Where are you from?
Casablanca, Morocco.
What was your undergraduate major, and from which university did you graduate?
International Studies, with a minor in Anthropology, acquired at Towson University.
What are some causes/ issues you care about? Why?
I am deeply indebted to scholars such as Edward Said or Frantz Fanon in their respective critic of Orientalism and colonialism. I care about issues of representation in post-colonial societies and take a particular interest in the history of Islamic mysticism, also known as Sufism.
Conflict resolution, refugee studies and immigration policies are also central causes that shape my interest in global and local issues.
I care about these issues as they are interconnected yet often understood in isolation. I had the opportunity to live and travel to seemingly different parts of the world which exposed me to stark socio-economic inequalities as well as innovative minds and societies. The latter shaped my worldview and reinforced my intellectual engagement.
What work/intern/volunteer experience do you have and how has it prepared you for your studies?
In the summer of 2014, I undertook a journalism program at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which deepened my interest in Middle Eastern studies and conflict resolution at large. This scholarly experience was set to enhance students’ interviewing skills and overall understanding of fieldwork. It triggered a definite decision regarding my choice of major and instilled valuable life lessons.
In 2018, via a grant and advocacy writing course, I was able to compose and submit a real-world grant proposal for a small DC-based NGO that seeks to rehabilitate and support North Korea refugees to resettle in the United States.
In my senior year, I volunteered at the Tubman House in Baltimore - a community center that provides recreational as well as basic economic resources to their community (i.e. tackling food deserts, gentrification and systemic oppression). With the support of the visual anthropology department I co-directed my first ethnographic film, laying out the obstacles, victories and vision of community leaders and residents of West Baltimore.
What aspects of Mason made you choose to study here?
The interdisciplinary aspect of the Global Affairs MA program and the innovative research undertaken at Mason are central to this choice. By the same token, faculty members, areas of research, and the student body speak to a cohesive and much needed diversity in the academic realm. Mason embodies such qualities. Notably, as Mason students are in proximity to an array of career opportunities provided by the DC area, the possibility to broaden both academic and professional outcomes play therefore a significant role as well.
What do you hope to accomplish while at Mason?
I hope to polish my understanding of global issues and acquire a broader sense of their localized impacts. I intend to accomplish my academic journey as to acquire the necessary skills and mindset to prepare me for professional life. I look forward to unveiling new interests and find a focus of study to develop throughout my graduate studies.
What are your hobbies?
Coin collecting, poetry writing, recreational reading, podcasts, Japanese anime shows, improv’, music, world cinema and traveling.
What are you most looking forward to while living in the DC area?
While living in the DC area, I am most looking forward to begin a career in the non-governmental sector and find professional guidance in narrowing down my interests. The possibility to accumulate internships and professional experience in and around the capital is therefore a notable opportunity.
The eclectic choice of restaurants and cultural events are exciting advantages as well.
What is your favorite thing about being a student?
I enjoy healthy debates and learning to formulate life-long questions and/or imagine creative and practical solutions to global/local causes. Being a student is a journey that is propelled by embracing the opportunity of a genuine guidance and teaching - I believe that will be part of my identity long after I graduate from Mason.
My favorite thing is when a new book, theory or course, happens to viscerally change how I see the world. It is humbling as it pushes one to rethink and explore new perspectives.
Which languages do you speak?
French, Moroccan Arabic, English, Modern Standard Arabic (intermediate level)
What was the last book you read? Do you recommend it? (Why/why not)
Scheherazade Goes West by Fatema Mernissi.
I do recommend it to anyone interested in issues of (mis)representation as well as curious to inquire notions of feminism in Islam. Mernissi has brought at the forefront of her literary reflection notions related to the production of Said’s Orientalism via her unique and mesmerizing writing style.
However, I recommend beforehand the reading of Dreams of Trespass (her semi-biographical and most acclaimed writing), as Scheherazade Goes West is a social commentary written in response to the exoticism and prejudices she encountered while on a book tour for Dreams of Trespass.
