ABOUT ME

I am a historian of the modern Arab world, with a focus on decolonization. I bridge the gap between Middle Eastern and North African studies by putting these closely related fields into conversation.

My first book Globalizing Morocco: Transnational Activism and the Postcolonial State examines the Moroccan nationalist movement's anti-colonial campaign against the French and Spanish protectorates around the world and its influence on domestic politics after Morocco gained independence in 1956. This fascinating episode from the early Cold War shows how political activists from the Global South helped create a new international order after 1945. For an introduction, check out my interviews with the New Books Network and Jadaliyya.

I am currently working on a new project, Popular Culture and Mass Politics in Wartime North Africa, 1939–45, which analyzes how ordinary North Africans experienced World War II. My work incorporates the experiences of Muslims, Jews, and European settlers into a single narrative. I demonstrate that the war years created a shared historical experience while also accelerating social polarization that culminated in the region's decolonization after May 1945.

I am currently a Humboldt Fellow at Ludwig Maximilian University and will reside in Munich until August 2025.