Faculty Spotlight

A Conversation with Dr. Faedah Totah

Associate Professor, School of World Studies

Written by Samaneh Oladi Ghadikolaei, Assistant Professor, School of World Studies

 

At Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Faedah Totah is a dedicated scholar  juggling her complex intersectional identities as a Palestinian-American scholar. Her commitment to VCU’s advancement is reflected in her role as the Coordinator of the International Studies program at the School of World Studies. Engaging in critical pedagogical praxis as a specialist in Middle Eastern studies, Faedah commits to building authentic relationships with her students and mentoring them through complex and contested sociopolitical issues. Her presence at VCU seeks to enrich the academic community as she is acutely aware of the importance of engaging critically with the fields of anthropology and Middle Eastern studies, a focus that makes her an indispensable figure in both her department and the wider university.

 

1. Could you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself and your academic background?

I got my PhD in socio-cultural anthropology from the University of Texas in Austin based on research I conducted in Damascus on the gentrification of the Old City. I was always interested in anthropology, and it was my undergraduate major. I was born and raised in California but spent several years in Palestine living under Israeli occupation. I was always between two places and peoples and learned to adjust to each one under extremely different circumstances. For instance, in Palestine, and just from my last name, people would know who I was and where I came from. In the United States, I would always be asked, “Where are you from?”, even after I told them I am from California. So navigating these forms of cultural encounters made anthropology especially attractive, as it provided me with the tools, terms, and concepts for the things I have experienced growing up. They are also useful for understanding the world around us.

 

2. How long have you been at VCU? And what is your favorite thing about VCU?

I began my journey at VCU in Fall 2007 as a tenure-eligible assistant professor in the School of World Studies and in the International Studies Program. VCU has changed in many ways since then but it is still oddly familiar. Since I am interested in cities, I am fascinated by how VCU has changed Richmond, especially on West Broad and Grace Streets from Belvedere to Lombardy Streets.  

Since I am answering these questions in March, my favorite thing about VCU are the trees in bloom. I make a point of walking the path from Floyd to Cary Street when the blossoms are at their peak. It is magical and I wish they lasted longer.

The rest of the time, and I know this sounds like a cliché, it is the students, who are both exasperating and amazing, usually at the same time. I like to tell people that I teach at VCU, and it is a slice of America. I like that our students come from all over but are also different in their worldviews and approach to things. Naturally, as an anthropologist, I am curious about people and their stories. One of the first assignments I give students in my gen ed courses is about their journey to VCU. It helps me to get to know them, especially in large classes. Invariably, they talk about the reasons that led them to VCU. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that for many, it is a “legacy school.” They came to VCU because it is where their parents met, or siblings, friends and relatives went. It is nice to see the generational interest in VCU among alums. Others come for the big city experience!

 

3. Could you share some of the research topics that you've been involved in, as well as what you're currently working on? What sparked your interest in these areas?

I have always been fascinated with cities since I lived most of my life in one. The topic of my first book was the gentrification of the Old City of Damascus during the early 2000s and before the Syrian War. There was a boom in the economy of the Old City, and heritage tourism was on the rise, so I looked at how the residential neighborhoods were becoming commercialized as the traditional courtyard houses were being converted into restaurants and boutique hotels. I found that for the most part, there was considerable support for these revitalization projects, even if they did lead to displacement of long-term residents. 

I began another project before the war, also located in the Old City of Damascus, but this time on Palestinian urban refugees living in the Jewish Quarter. I kept hearing about Palestinians in the Old City and was intrigued by how they came to live there. It was wonderful meeting some of them, and I can only wonder where they are now and what happened to them, as Palestinians in Syria were targeted in the war. Since I could not go back to finish my research, and I did not want to drop this project, I have been creative about continuing my research through archival research and cultural productions. I started out as an anthropologist, but I think I always wanted to be a historian!

 

4. As a Middle East expert, how do you navigate complex discussions in politically charged climates?

It has always been a challenge teaching, talking, and writing about the Middle East, even before the recent events in Gaza. In a recent study conducted by Shibley Telhami and Marc Lynch, they found that about 82% of US Middle East scholars practice self-censorship, but the figure is 98% for assistant professors! It is unfortunate that experts on the region with the linguistic skills, experience, and knowledge are rendered silent during this crucial time. Orientalist tropes still abound, especially in mainstream media, making it a challenge to teach against dominant views. When it comes to talking about the Middle East, it is like walking through a minefield, and you never know what will be a trigger, even when you have your facts, evidence, sources in order and carefully choose your words.

 

5. What activities or interests outside of your professional life bring you joy and fulfillment?

I have taken up embroidery again. In a previous life, I was an avid cross-stitcher. During the pandemic, I revisited some projects that were untouched for years. I am happy to say that I have finished these embroidery projects and started new ones. I find cross-stitching relaxing since you have to focus on the task at hand. The downside is eye strain! But the finished project always brings joy and a sense of accomplishment.

 

Select Publications

• Totah, F. M. (2020). Palestinian refugees between the city and the camp, International Journal of Middle East Studies, 52(4): 607-621.
• Totah, F. M. (2019). The Syrian war and those who remain. Anthropology Now 11(3):12-20. Published online 10 June 2020.
• Totah, F.M. (2018). The Palestinian cause in Syrian nationalism. Dialectical Anthropology 42(4):429-441.
• Totah, F. M. (2014). Preserving the Old City of Damascus. Syracuse University Press.
• Totah, F. M. (2014). Nothing has changed: Social continuity and gentrification in the Old City of Damascus. Anthropological Quarterly, 87(4), 1195-1221.