EPISODE · Oct 31, 2025 · 56 MIN
EP 2 - Imperialism, memory, and the evolving meanings of Iraqi identity in exile
from Migrant Ethnographies · host Migrant Ethnographies
In this episode of Migrant Ethnographies, Benin Alman speaks with anthropologist Dr. Zainab Saleh about her ethnography Return to Ruin: Iraqi Narratives of Exile and Nostalgia. Through life histories and accounts of Iraqi exiles in London, Dr. Saleh explores how imperial interventions, from British colonialism to the U.S. occupation, continue to shape diasporic identities and notions of a “home.” The conversation also introduces Dr. Saleh’s forthcoming book, Political Undesirables: Citizenship, Denaturalization, and Reclamation in Iraq, which examines how citizenship laws have been used as tools of exclusion, particularly against Iraqi Jews in the 1950s and Iraqis of Iranian origin in the 1980s.Together Benin and Dr. Saleh discuss imperialism, memory, authenticity, and the evolving meanings of Iraqi identity in exile, reflecting on how ethnographic research can provide a critical inquiry into displacement and belonging. About the Guest:Zainab Saleh is an anthropologist and associate professor at Haverford College. Her work focuses on empire, colonialism, migration, diaspora, and the ways power shapes subjectivity, belonging, and knowledge production. Across her work, Saleh emphasizes how imperial and colonial entanglements shape experiences of displacement and how people create networks of resistance and imagine alternative futures. She is the author of Return to Ruin, which won the 2022 Arab American Book Awards. Saleh’s new book project, Political Undesirables, explores citizenship, deportation, and the legacies of colonialism in Iraq and is set to be released on December 9th, 2025. Links and resources: https://www.haverford.edu/users/zsalehhttps://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/return-ruin https://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/political-undesirablesAbout the Host:Benin Alman is a Masters student in the department of Sociology and Anthropology at Concordia University. Her thesis explores the collective memory of Iraqi Rafha refugees and how it intersects with power and identity. Her work is informed by postcolonial, migration, and Middle Eastern studies.Podcast Theme Music:Many thanks to Moneka Arabic Jazz and Lulaworld Records for allowing us to use the song Mail Shougle as our podcast theme music. Share your comments:We’d love to hear from you! Share your comments, ideas, or proposals at [email protected] thanks to Concordia University and the IRMS:Special thanks to the Institute for Research on Migration and Society (IRMS) for hosting the podcast and to Concordia University Faculty Research Development Program (FRDP) for funding this project.
What this episode covers
In this episode of Migrant Ethnographies, Benin Alman speaks with anthropologist Dr. Zainab Saleh about her ethnography Return to Ruin: Iraqi Narratives of Exile and Nostalgia. Through life histories and accounts of Iraqi exiles in London, Dr. Saleh explores how imperial interventions, from British colonialism to the U.S. occupation, continue to shape diasporic identities and notions of a “home.” The conversation also introduces Dr. Saleh’s forthcoming book, Political Undesirables: Citizenship, Denaturalization, and Reclamation in Iraq, which examines how citizenship laws have been used as tools of exclusion, particularly against Iraqi Jews in the 1950s and Iraqis of Iranian origin in the 1980s.Together Benin and Dr. Saleh discuss imperialism, memory, authenticity, and the evolving meanings of Iraqi identity in exile, reflecting on how ethnographic research can provide a critical inquiry into displacement and belonging. About the Guest:Zainab Saleh is an anthropologist and associate professor at Haverford College. Her work focuses on empire, colonialism, migration, diaspora, and the ways power shapes subjectivity, belonging, and knowledge production. Across her work, Saleh emphasizes how imperial and colonial entanglements shape experiences of displacement and how people create networks of resistance and imagine alternative futures. She is the author of Return to Ruin, which won the 2022 Arab American Book Awards. Saleh’s new book project, Political Undesirables, explores citizenship, deportation, and the legacies of colonialism in Iraq and is set to be released on December 9th, 2025. Links and resources: https://www.haverford.edu/users/zsalehhttps://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/return-ruin https://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/political-undesirablesAbout the Host:Benin Alman is a Masters student in the department of Sociology and Anthropology at Concordia University. Her thesis explores the collective memory of Iraqi Rafha refugees and how it intersects with power and identity. Her work is informed by postcolonial, migration, and Middle Eastern studies.Podcast Theme Music:Many thanks to Moneka Arabic Jazz and Lulaworld Records for allowing us to use the song Mail Shougle as our podcast theme music. Share your comments:We’d love to hear from you! Share your comments, ideas, or proposals at [email protected] thanks to Concordia University and the IRMS:Special thanks to the Institute for Research on Migration and Society (IRMS) for hosting the podcast and to Concordia University Faculty Research Development Program (FRDP) for funding this project.
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EP 2 - Imperialism, memory, and the evolving meanings of Iraqi identity in exile
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