Nadia Hijab
Encyclopedia
Nadia Hijab is a prominent Palestinian
political analyst, author and journalist who comments frequently on human rights
and the Middle East
, and the situation of the Palestinians in particular.
to Palestinian Arab parents, Wasfi Hijab and Abla Nashif, but grew up in neighboring Lebanon
, where she earned a B.A.
and M.A.
in English Literature
from the American University of Beirut
. During her years of study in Beirut
, Hijab worked as a journalist, but she left Lebanon
after the onset of the Lebanese Civil War
. She traveled first to Qatar
, and then to London, England, where she became the Editor-in-Chief of Middle East Magazine and appeared frequently in the media as a commentator on Middle East
affairs.
She is prolific writer, having authored several hundred articles and two books (see below).
In 1989, Hijab moved to the United States
, where she worked for 10 years as a development specialist for the United Nations Development Programme
in New York City
. In 2000, she founded a consultancy firm, Development Analysis and Communications Services, which she still heads. As a consultant she has continued to work for UNDP; she has also done consulting work for UNICEF, Columbia University
and UN Women http://www.unwomen.org.
In 2010, she co-founded Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network http://al-shabaka.org a virtual think tank bringing together close to 60 Palestinian thinkers and writers from all over the world. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies
.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
political analyst, author and journalist who comments frequently on human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and the situation of the Palestinians in particular.
Biography
Hijab was born in Aleppo, SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
to Palestinian Arab parents, Wasfi Hijab and Abla Nashif, but grew up in neighboring Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, where she earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
from the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
. During her years of study in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Hijab worked as a journalist, but she left Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
after the onset of the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
. She traveled first to Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, and then to London, England, where she became the Editor-in-Chief of Middle East Magazine and appeared frequently in the media as a commentator on Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
affairs.
She is prolific writer, having authored several hundred articles and two books (see below).
In 1989, Hijab moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she worked for 10 years as a development specialist for the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 2000, she founded a consultancy firm, Development Analysis and Communications Services, which she still heads. As a consultant she has continued to work for UNDP; she has also done consulting work for UNICEF, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and UN Women http://www.unwomen.org.
In 2010, she co-founded Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network http://al-shabaka.org a virtual think tank bringing together close to 60 Palestinian thinkers and writers from all over the world. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies
Institute for Palestine Studies
The Institute for Palestine Studies is the oldest independent non-profit, public service, research institute in the Arab world, was established and incorporated in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1963 and has since served as a model for other such institutes in the region...
.
Books
- Womanpower: The Arab Debate on Women at Work, Cambridge U.P., 1988
- Citizens Apart: A Portrait of Palestinians in Israel, co-authored with Amina Minns, I.B. TaurisI.B. TaurisI. B. Tauris is an independent publishing house with offices in London and New York.-History:I.B.Tauris was founded in 1983. Its declared strategy was to fill the perceived gap between trade publishing houses and university presses—that is, to publish serious but accessible works on international...
1990
External links
- Nadia Hijab: Tzipi Livni Needs Three Things (20 Sept 2008) via IMEU.net
- Nadia Hijab: Why, When and How the US Challenges Israel's Actions (2 October 2007) at the Institute for Palestine Studies
- Nadia Hijab and Diana Buttu: The Fall Meeting & the Trend to Focus on Aid Rather than Rights (12 September 2007) at Zmag.org
- Nadia Hijab: A Reality Check for Peace (22 September 2006) at The Guardian
- Nadia Hijab: What the U.S. and Israel Wanted May Not Be At All What They Get (7 August 2006) at Counterpunch.org
- Nadia Hijab: Obama's Blind Spot on Israel (16 June, 2008) at The Nation