Assistant Professor
B.A. Economics; Political Science: Political Economy, University of Washington
M.A.I.S. International Studies: Middle East Studies, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington
Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Washington
Office: UW1-253
Phone: 425-352-5284
Email: kdana@uwb.edu, karam@uw.edu
Mailing: Box 358530, 18115 Campus Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011-8246
Teaching
When planning curriculum, I go beyond just simply using theory. I explore innovative ways to engage students in the subject matter. There is no doubt that teaching is a two-way stream, whereby creating a safe environment for students to express their opinions provides for a more effective learning process. I believe that challenges to effective teaching in today’s academic institutions lie within the perception that teaching is a one-way process. I place a high value on multi-cultural and globally focused education, which has influenced my teaching philosophy. I am inspired and continuously informed by the active participation of students in the classroom setting, where I place heavy emphasis on rigorous yet creative engagement with diverse primary sources in addition to an informed critique of contemporary scholarly production. A classroom where opinions are expressed, debated, and respected can represent a microcosm of a larger community where differences are to be accepted further supported. Not only do I view teaching to be inspiring, but also it provides me with my ability to be a good scholar. Student questions provide a foundation of my intellectual curiosity, which is the most fundamental aspect of being a scholar.
Recent Courses Taught
BIS 300 Interdisciplinary Inquiry
BIS 312 Approaches to Social Research
BIS 490 Politics of the Arab Spring
BISGST 397 Middle East Politics
Research/Scholarship
My research examines how religion influences political identities in different cultural and societal contexts. My work on the Middle East explores how religion was used as a means to mobilize and rally support for specific political agendas in Palestine, during the British Mandate period. I also study the political and civic engagement of Muslims in Western contexts, but specifically in the United States. A Muslim American research project for which I was the co-principal investigator (The Muslim American Public Opinion Survey “MAPOS”) received the 2009 Best Paper Award in the Race Ethnicity and Politics of the American Political Science Association. To date, MAPOS is still one of the largest studies of Muslims in America. My current research explores the intersection between economics and politics: the ways in which economic indicators have affected political (in)stability in the Middle East since the 1980s, and the role of technology in shaping various social structures in the developing world (with a focus on the Arab world).
Former Academic Appointments
Research Fellow, Dubai Initiative, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, 2010-2012.
Associate, Center for American Political Studies, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, 2011-2012.
Fellow, Committee on Social Studies, Harvard University, 2011-2012.
Lecturer, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy & Department of History, Tufts University, 2010-2011.
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Islam in the West Program, Harvard University, 2009-2010.
Selected Publications
Dana, Karam. 2012. "Negotiating Influence: The Economy, Security Apparatus, and the Asad Regime." The Syrian Studies Association Bulletin. A book review of Bassam Haddad's Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience. Vol 17, No 2 (2012)
Dana, Karam, Matt Barreto and Kassra Oskooii. 2011. Journal of Religions. “Mosques as American Institutions: Mosque Attendance, Religiosity, and Integration into American Society.” 2(4): 504-524.
Dana, Karam. 2011. “Muslims in America: A profile.” The Dubai Initiative Paper Series. The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Dana, Karam. 2011. “Political Economics: The Challenges of Economic Development in Palestine” The Dubai Initiative Paper Series. The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Dana, Karam. 2011. Journal of Politics and Religion. Review of “The Cartoons that Shook the World” by Jyttee Klausen. 4(2): 390-392.
Dana, Karam and Stephen Franklin. 2011. “Islam and Muslims in America.” in Lawrence Pintak’s Islam and Main Street: A Crash Course for Domestic American Reporters. The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Center for Distance and Professional Education. Washington State University.