CAI Researchers

As a community-based research hub, we are actively connecting researchers across the country with each other in an effort to break down the silos within the field.

CAI Researchers are post-secondary (bachelors, masters or PhD) students conducting research with the Canadian-Arab community. CAI offers institutional support by helping researchers throughout the research process, from research design to data collection to publishing.

 
 

Billie-Dhelia Laforest - Toronto - York University

Billie is a second-year master’s student in the Public and International Affairs program at York University, Glendon College. She also holds a bilingual bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Glendon. Her most recent research pertained to the situation of women in the sex industry of South Africa and the vulnerability of Guerrilla women in the civil war conflict of Colombia. Currently, she is working as a policy analyst for the Federal Government while finishing her studies. Billie is looking to continue her research on the barriers vulnerable communities have in accessing their rights.

 
 
 

Elie Kallab - Ottawa - University of Ottawa

Elie Kallab is a Ph.D. student in the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa. He studies Comparative Politics as well as Canadian and Quebecois Politics. His research focuses on 2SLGBTQ+ organisations in Canada that represent Arabs and Middle Easterners. He has a Master's degree in Political Sociology from Sciences Po France and an Executive Master's degree in Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action from the University of Siena in Italy. Elie co-wrote a chapter in the book Harness it: Renewable Energy Technologies and Project Development Models Transforming the Grid, which was endorsed by Prof. Jeffrey Sachs. Elie has written a new book on Environmental Diplomacy, which Routledge has published. He is a member of the CORMED Research School on Gender and Body's scientific committee. He teaches at University of Ottawa and Royal Military College of Canada. Elie volunteers as a senior advisor for the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network in his spare time.

 
 
 

Lamiae Bouqentar - Montreal - Université de Montréal

Lamiae Bouqentar is an FRQSC funded researcher, lecturer, and PhD candidate at Université de Montréal. Her research focuses on Arab queer migration in Canada by bridging visual creative methodologies and critical theories. She also practices storytelling and creative writing as decolonial tools that empower marginalized groups. Her interdisciplinary research work has been published in various international journals including Feminist Encounters and Alterstice. Lamiae is a firm believer in the importance of documenting and amplifying intersectional Arab queer diasporic realities in Canada.

 
 
 
 
 

Rama Eloulabi - London - Western University

Rama is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Psychology at Western University, with a specialization in Migration and Ethnic Relations. Her thesis explores the identity of Arab youth in Ontario, and their experiences of discrimination and stereotyping. Rama was born and raised in Damascus, Syria, and moved to Canada in 2015 to pursue her Bachelor's degree at York University in Psychology and Human Rights and Equity Studies. She has worked on many research projects involving the Arab community, including a SSHRC-funded project on the integration of Syrian refugees in Canada and a CIHR-funded project on the sexual health of MENA youth.

 
 
 
 

Sara Kallas - Toronto - University of Toronto

Sara is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, double majoring in Political Science and Economics. She is profoundly passionate about all matters pertaining to international and human security, which drives her to actively engage in extensive research across this field. The three foundational principles of her research report on De-growth and Environmental Justice for the 2021 Worldwide Forum on Climate Change was presented alongside COP26, and endorsed by 29 universities across 12 different countries. Another research project of hers included conducting an economic analysis of Egypt, which she used to advise firms to make informed investment decisions that align with the objective of growth-driven investment opportunities with long-term sustainable and developmental prospects. Currently, she is working alongside a team to examine how technology can be leveraged to improve the settlement experiences of Arabic-speaking and sub-Saharan African refugees in Ontario. Sara hopes to continue her commitment to research, focusing on addressing pressing global challenges and making a positive impact.