Received Sylff fellowship in 2020
Academic supervisor: Dr. Jen Gilbert, University of Toronto
Current affiliation: PhD candidate-York University
Fatemeh Gharibi (they/them) is a Ph.D. candidate in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies at York University, Canada-occupied land. Their interdisciplinary research encompasses International Education, Feminist and Sexuality Studies, as well as Theatre and Performance-based Methodologies.
Fatemeh adopts an activist scholarship approach, utilizing research-based theatre to amplify the voices of women, queer, and trans people of colour. In their Ph.D. project, they contribute to the young field of political international students’ studies by focusing on understanding the challenges and joys that LGBTQ+ international students face while navigating activism and political engagement in Canada during a time of rising far-right politics both locally and internationally.
Fatemeh is currently (2024) a doctoral research assistant in three significant research studies: 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Wellbeing, the first national project on this topic, The Multilingual University Student Experience (MUSE) Project: a multi-site research study, and they recently joined another study, Exploring Strategies to Enhance LGBTQIA+ Migrant College/University Students’ Sense of Belonging & Wellbeing: A Mixed-Method Community Participatory Arts-Based Project.
Additionally, Fatemeh is a teaching assistant at York University. They teach introductory courses on gender and sexuality studies, critical race studies and theatre and performance-based methodologies. They pursue their career goals in research project management, policy analysis and university teaching.
Academic Achievements, Social Engagement Initiatives:
Education
Expected graduation 2026: Doctoral student in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies (PhD), York University, Canada
Dissertation working title: LGBTQ+ International Students Activism, Advocacy and Political Engagement
2020: Master of Arts in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies (MA), York University, Canada
2013: Master of Arts in Latin American Studies (MA), University of Tehran, Iran
2009: Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences-Social Research (BA), University of Kashan, Iran
Awards and Scholarships
2024: Virginia Rock Scholarship, York University
2024: Visiting fellow and award winner at Hunt-Simes Institute in Sexuality Studies, Sydney; Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC), and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sydney
2023-24: Academic Excellence Fund, York University
2023: Sylff Research Grant, The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
2022-23 Graduate Excellence Fund- York University
2020-23: Graduate Fellowship for Academic Distinction (GFAD), The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
2020-21- Sherrill Cheda Graduate Scholarship- York University
2020- The Johanna H. Stuckey Graduate Bursary- Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University
2019- Doris Anderson Canadian Bursary- Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University
2019-20- Sherril Cheda Scholarship- York University
Recent Conference Participations
2024: Paper presented, “Language socialization experiences of multilingual students across three post-secondary institutions.” Other presenters: Saskia Van Viegen, Sandra Zappa-Hollman, Heike Neumann, Serikbolsyn Tastanbek, Ed Griffiths, The Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
2023: Performance excerpt presented, “A Manifesto for Sex Education for (Queer)Girls in Iran and Everywhere,” Children, Childhood and Youth Studies Conference
2023: Paper presented, “Disrupting Homogeneity of the term International Student,” Canadian Society for the Study of Education, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
2023: Paper presented, Panel title: “International Students of Color and the Failure/Refusal to Be Future Settlers,” Women and Gender Studies et Recherches Féministes, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Other co-panelists: Dr. Jin Haritaworn, Mengzhu Fu and Rhiannon Cobb.
2022: Paper presented, “Killing Mahtab: Haunting Memory of an Iranian Transgender Refugee in Canada,” Queer Temporalities: Resisting Straight Forwards
2020: Paper presented, “Queer Theorizing through Theatre Performance within the Iranian Closet,” Speaking to Power: Feminist Theories and Praxis
Recent community engagements and media appearances
2024: Guest, Episode 4: Canadian Media Portrayal of International Students and the LGBTQIA+ Community with Fatemeh Gharibi, The Intersections Podcast, Communications Governance Observatory, McMaster University
2023: Guest, Sexuality Studies Spotlight Podcast, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Z4ToW5uaKyfiT8uYYEpUP
2023: Facilitator, Anti-Oppressive Workshops Series for International Students: LGBTQ+ Allyship, Iranian Graduate Students Association (IGSAYU), York University
2022: Speaker, Women. Life. Freedom: What does solidarity with the Iranian uprising look like? A panel co-sponsored by the Iranian Graduate Student Association York University (IGSAYU), The Centre for Feminist Research, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatemehgharibi/
