Dr. Melyssa Haffaf (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Gender+ Justice Initiative (G+JI) at Georgetown University, an interdisciplinary, cross-campus effort advancing research, programs, and advocacy on gender justice issues. Through her leadership, the G+JI brings faculty, students, and community partners across fields to address pressing social justice challenges.
Born in Algeria and having spent part of her life in France, Dr. Haffaf brings a rich, global perspective to her work. She teaches in the African Studies Program, French & Francophone Studies Department, and Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Georgetown.
Dr. Haffaf earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Philosophy from the University of Paris IV – La Sorbonne and completed her Ph.D. in Literary, Cultural, and Linguistic Studies with a specialization in Gender Studies at the University of Miami. Her dissertation, Shifting Masculinities from North Africa, explores the discourse and literary representations of masculinity in post-colonial Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco. Her research interests include North African cultural production, Islamic studies, feminist theory and praxis, gender studies, and decolonial and critical race theory, with a focus on global, intersectional approaches to identity and social transformation.
Education:
University of Miami — Ph.D.
University of Paris IV – La Sorbonne — B.A.