Event overview
The first in a three-part series exploring how Syrian scholars, practitioners, and activists engage with heritage and history to imagine and shape Syria’s post-war future
Migrant Futures Institute is proud to host the opening panel of the Syria in Transition series, investigating how Syrian heritage and memory have been engaged amid conflict and displacement. Speakers will discuss the role of the diaspora in preserving culture, supporting recovery, and shaping visions of Syria’s future. Presentations will be followed by discussion and audience Q&A.
Speakers
Mirma Alwareh
Mirma Alwareh is an architect, photographer, and filmmaker from Damascus, Syria. Alwareh explores how architecture and cultural spaces reflect social and political transformations in Syria. She co-founded the Archive of Modern Architecture in Syria and works on documenting urban heritage amid conflict and displacement.
Sofya Shahab
Senior Lecturer at the University of Stirling, Sofya Shahab studies cultural heritage in conflict and post-conflict settings. Her work examines heritage destruction, reconstruction, and the lived experiences of displacement, with a focus on decolonial and feminist approaches in the Middle East.
Julia Dzun
Visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UCL, Julia Dzun researches migration, urbanism, and social justice. Her work explores how displacement and belonging are negotiated in European cities, with interests in heritage and participatory urban futures shaped by refugee experiences.
Sultan Doughan - Moderator
Co-Director of the Migrant Futures Institute and Lecturer in Anthropology at Goldsmiths, Sultan Doughan is a political anthropologist whose research examines citizenship, memory, and religious difference in Europe. Her work explores how Holocaust commemoration and debates on race and migration shape belonging for Middle Eastern diasporas.
This is a free event but please register your attendance below.
NB: For those interested, Migrant Futures Institute will be hosting its MFI Forum in the same room immediately before this event, from 4-5pm. There will be hybrid facilities. Join either or both events online via this link: http://bit.ly/3K2QY5C
About the Migrant Futures Institute (MFI)
The Migrant Futures Institute at Goldsmiths, University of London, is dedicated to advancing research, dialogue, and creative practice on migration, displacement, and futures beyond borders. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, public events, and community engagement, MFI explores how migration shapes societies and imagines transformative possibilities for justice and belonging.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 2025 | 5:00pm - 7:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
