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Joanna AbillamaCohort 2024
Education
- MA, Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, Lebanese American University, 2022
- MA, Theatre, Kansas State University, 2015
- BA, Psychology, American University of Beirut, 2013
Research
- Psychological anthropology
- Neurodiversity
- Critical autism studies
- Mad studies
- Feminist studies
- Experimental ethnography
- Performance ethnography
- Arab world
- Brazil
Jo Abillama (she/her, they/them) is interested in exploring how narratives defining mental health have spread from the West to the Global South and how neuronormativity is imposed culturally and socially, through an exploration of how it is enacted in both psychiatric settings and regular daily interactions. How has neuronormativity evolved and led to further stigmatization, pathologization, and medicalization of neurodivergent minds? They are also interested in arts-based research methodologies, specifically performance ethnography, as they see in them the potential to both decolonize knowledge production and encourage engagement with a non-academic public.
Advisor: Dr. Vidali
