Reem is a researcher and activist in critical heritage and cultural studies.

 

Holding an Honours Masters Degree from Cardiff University, a  Bachelors Degree (RIBA) in Architecture from the University of Nottingham, and an ongoing Ph.D., she studies the critical sociology dimensions of politicisation, contestation, and performativity in cultural heritages sites to inform democratic Cultural Participation policies in heritage and cultural management.

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On the field, she advocates for Cultural Democracy on two levels: vertically by re-thinking the conventional approaches to heritage decision-making for including the plural and subjective possibilities of it from the grassroots; and horizontally by illuminating the effects of exclusive grassroot cultural practices in relation to social fragmentation and dominating identities.

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Reem is the Founder & Managing Director of Scene (link), a non-profit for sustaining cultural heritage in the Medina of Tripoli by nurturing community engagements through cultural instruments. This involves grassroots activities and public policy recommendations:

- On the grassroots level, Scene explores strategies of theatre psychology and Cultural Participation on the site to re-engage communities with local heritage and to foster reconciliation between contesting groups for inclusive heritage meaning-making. Additionally, by creating immersive digital experiences and an Oral History archive, Scene makes visible community narratives and interests. 

- Based on ethnographic recording and analysis of these community interests, as well as Cultural Resource Mapping, Scene concludes public policy recommendations through Policy Briefs for relevant State institutions. All findings and methodologies of these inquiries are made available for the public online.

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Reem is the Author of Libya’s Country Profile on Cultural Governance for EU/MedCulture. She was awarded the Society of Architectural Historians’ (SAH) Opler Grant Award; Fellowship on Archaeology by the American Institute of Maghrib Studies (AIMS); Fellowship by the International Society for Performing Arts (ISPA); and is Alumna of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program nominated by the U.S. Embassy.

 

She is also alumna of Goethe’s Kulturakademie and has been engaged in various programmes including as Contributor and Delegate to a number of UNESCO and Réseau Euro-Med France initiatives; a policy researcher within the North African Policy Initiative's Young Policy Leaders; a Member of Jury at the Arab Funds for Arts and Culture (AFAC), Hult Prize, an EU/DW competition; and others.

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In academia, Reem served as a University Lecturer at the American University of Libya where she was also an Academic Board Member, and has trained professionals and students in academic research, communication, and social impact for entrepreneurs through several training programmes.

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