Nadia Abu El Haj facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nadia Abu El-Haj
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| Born | 1966 (age 58–59) |
| Education | Bryn Mawr College (AB) Duke University (PhD) |
| Occupation | Anthropologist, academic |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Barnard College, Columbia University |
Nadia Abu El-Haj (Arabic: نادية أبو الحاج; born 1962) is an American anthropologist. She teaches at Barnard College and Columbia University in the United States.
She wrote two important books: Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-Fashioning in Israeli Society (2001) and The Genealogical Science: The Search for Jewish Origins and the Politics of Epistemology (2012). In 2006-2007, there was a big discussion about whether she should get a permanent teaching position, called tenure. She received tenure in November 2007.
Contents
About Nadia Abu El-Haj
Her Early Life and Studies
Nadia Abu El-Haj was born in the United States. Her mother was American and her father was a Palestinian Muslim. Her family background includes French and Norwegian roots. She grew up with some religious traditions but not strictly.
She spent a few years in private schools in Tehran, Iran, and Beirut, Lebanon. This was because her father worked there for the United Nations. She later returned to the U.S. for her university studies. She earned her first degree in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College. Then, she received her advanced degree (PhD) from Duke University.
After her studies, she did special research work at Harvard University. She also received fellowships from other important institutions. These included the University of Pennsylvania and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. She can speak several languages: English, Arabic, French, Persian, and Hebrew.
Her Work as a Professor
Nadia Abu El-Haj taught at the University of Chicago from 1997 to 2002. After that, she joined the faculty at Barnard College. She has also given talks at many other famous universities. These include New York University, the University of Cambridge, and the London School of Economics.
She has received several important awards and grants for her research. These include the Fulbright Fellowship and grants from the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. She also helps edit important academic journals.
Her Research Work
Her Book: Facts on the Ground
In 2001, Nadia Abu El-Haj published her book, Facts on the Ground. In this book, she looked at how archaeology in Israel connects to society and politics. She used anthropological methods to study this.
She argued that archaeological findings can shape how people understand history and territory. She suggested that in Israel, archaeology helped create a national historical story. This story also supported claims to land.
Her book was reviewed by many scholars and in popular magazines. It won the Middle East Studies Association of North America 2002 Albert Hourani Book Award. However, some people strongly disagreed with her ideas. There were intense debates and criticisms about her work.
Other Important Research
Nadia Abu El-Haj's more recent research looks at genetic anthropology. This field studies human origins and migrations using DNA. She examines projects that try to trace the history of different groups of people.
She also studies companies that offer genetic ancestry testing. Her work explores how ideas like race, diaspora (people living away from their homeland), and kinship (family ties) are connected. She looks at how genetic information becomes important for people seeking to understand their past.
Published Works
Nadia Abu El-Haj has written several academic articles and two main books. Her books are Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-Fashioning in Israeli Society (2001) and The Genealogical Science: The Search for Jewish Origins and the Politics of Epistemology (2012).
See also
In Spanish: Nadia Abu El Haj para niños
