Suad Joseph facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suad Joseph
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Dr. Suad Joseph, University of California, Davis
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| Born | 6 September 1943 Lebanon
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| Alma mater | Columbia University |
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Notable work
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Arab Families Working Group, Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Culture |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of California, Davis |
Suad Joseph (Arabic: سعاد جوزيف) was born on September 6, 1943, in Lebanon. She is a well-known expert in anthropology, which is the study of human societies and cultures. Dr. Joseph teaches at the University of California, Davis.
She has done a lot of research on families, children, and young people in the Middle East. Her work often focuses on her home country, Lebanon. She also studies how gender, identity, and government affect people's lives in this region. Dr. Joseph has started many important groups and projects. These include the Arab Families Working Group and the Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures. She also helped create the Middle East/South Asian Studies Program at UC Davis.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Suad Joseph grew up in Lebanon as the youngest of seven children. Her parents, who worked hard, taught all their children that school was very important. Her mother, Rose Haddad Joseph, could not read or write.
The family later moved to Cortland, New York, in the United States. Suad was able to go to college at the local State University of New York, Cortland. She then continued her studies in anthropology. She earned her advanced degrees at the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia University. All seven of her siblings also earned advanced degrees.
Helping Arab Families and Youth
In 2001, Dr. Joseph started the Arab Families Working Group (AFWG). This group brings together sixteen experts from different countries. They study families and young people in places like Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt. They also look at Arab families living in other parts of the world.
The AFWG does more than just research. They help train new scholars in the Middle East. They also work with non-profit groups to share what they learn. This helps turn their research into useful advice for people working with Arab families. The group also translates their findings into Arabic. This makes sure local people can use the information.
Understanding Women in Islamic Cultures
Dr. Joseph also created and leads the Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures (EWIC) project. This huge encyclopedia has six volumes. It was published between 2002 and 2007.
EWIC explores the lives of Muslim women around the world. It also looks at non-Muslim women living in Islamic societies. It covers many different subjects and time periods.
Connecting Anthropologists and Scholars
Dr. Joseph founded the Middle East Research Group in Anthropology. This group later became the Middle East Section (MES) of the American Anthropological Association. MES connects anthropologists who are interested in the people, cultures, and history of the Middle East.
Its members come from many countries and study different areas of anthropology. MES helps people understand the Middle East better. They also work to create policies that respect the history and different cultures of the region. MES scholars meet every year at a big conference.
Dr. Joseph also founded the Association for Middle East Women's Studies (AMEWS). She helped start the Journal of Middle East Women's Studies. AMEWS is for scholars interested in women and gender in the Middle East and North Africa. This includes communities of people from these regions living elsewhere. AMEWS organizes events to encourage research and teamwork in these areas.
Middle East/South Asia Studies Program
From 2004 to 2009, Dr. Joseph was the first director of the Middle East/South Asia Studies Program (ME/SA) at the University of California, Davis. This program helps students learn more about these important regions.
The program started small, but it grew quickly. It received a grant in 2006 to add new courses, including Arabic and Hindi/Urdu languages. It also started workshops for teachers. By 2008, students could major in Middle East/South Asia Studies. The program continued to grow, adding Iranian Studies and Arab Studies. UC Davis is special because it's the only University of California campus with both a minor and a major in this field.
Working with Universities Across the World
In 2011, Dr. Joseph started a group that connects five universities. These universities are the American University of Beirut, American University in Cairo, Lebanese American University, University of California, Davis, and Birzeit University.
This group helps scholars from these universities work together on research projects. They have collaborated on topics like water, law, gender, and the environment.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Suad Joseph has received many honors and awards for her important work.
- 1976–78: She was the first President of the Middle East Research Group in Anthropology.
- 1985–87: She was the first President of the Association for Middle East Women's Studies.
- 1994: She received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the State University of New York, Cortland.
- 1997: She won the Pro Femina Research Consortium, Outstanding Mentor Award.
- 2003: She received the Lyceum Distinguished Scholar Award from Wichita State University.
- 2004: She was honored with the Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award from the University of California, Davis.
- 2009–12: A special lecture series, the Suad Joseph Iranian Studies Lecture Series, was named after her at UC Davis.
- 2010–2011: She served as President of the Middle East Studies Association of North America.
- 2012: She received the Chancellor's Achievement Award for Diversity and Community from the University of California, Davis.
- 2014: She won the UC Davis Prize for excellence in teaching.
