Noura Al Obeidli
Humanities Research Fellow
Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: BS, Zayed University (UAE); MA, Zayed University (UAE); PhD, University of Westminster (UK)
Research Areas: Feminism, Patriarchy, Media Studies, News Sociology, Gender Politics, Women Empowerment, Anthropology, Journalism, Press Freedom, Media Ethics, and Media Law
About Noura
Noura’s current research project is the first empirical study that investigates gender dynamics in newsrooms in the UAE, with a focus on the influence of the tribal, patriarchal culture in determining Emirati women’s role as newsmakers.
Her research observes and documents the newsroom norms and journalism practices using ethnography to highlight specific themes that are extremely under-examined, including gender dynamics and self-censorship practice in the newsroom.
Her work in this field began at the University of Westminster, where she defended her doctoral dissertation in April 2020.
As a fellow at NYUAD, Noura will expand her research on the newsroom culture and gender dynamics in the UAE by focusing primarily on tribalism, which is highly under-examined as a political and socio-cultural concept within the complex structure of Emirati society, and its particular impact on Emirati women’s quest to develop an identity through self-expression, as well as their representation in the field of journalism.
Publications
Books
Al Obeidli, Noura. Emirati Women Journalists: Bargaining with Patriarchy in Search of Equality. Routledge, 2024.
Journals
Al Obeidli, Noura. "The Impact of Patriarchal Tribalism on Emirati Women Journalists’ Pursuit for Empowerment and Equality". Journal of Middle East Women's Studies (2021) (*under review)
Book Chapters
Al Obeidli, Noura. "Unmasking Patriarchy: Emirati Women's Battle in the Newsroom." In Gulf Women’s Lives: Voice, Space, Place, eds. E. Buscemi, S. Alshammari, I. Kaposi. University of Exeter Press, 2024 (forthcoming).
Al Obeidli, Noura. "Identity Crisis: My Escape Plan to the Journey Within." In My Voice: Inspiring Stories of Hope, Courage and Fearlessness Volume V, eds. N. Gupta and S. Sarkar. Global Influencers Publishing House, 2022.
Conference Paper Proceedings
Al Obeidli, N. “Voiceless Social Negotiators: The Case of Emirati Women Journalists.” Women in the GCC: Negotiating Leadership, Power, and Change Workshop. The 23th Annual Gulf Research Meeting (2023). Gulf Research Centre, Cambridge, UK.
Al Obeidli, N. “Emirati Women Journalists: Bargaining With Patriarchy In Search Of Equality.” The 20th Annual International Conference on Communication and Mass Media (2022). Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), Athens, Greece.
Al Obeidli, N. “Emirati Women Journalists: Bargaining With Patriarchy In Search Of Equality.” Women, Nation Building and Modernization Projects in the Gulf: Explorations in State Instrumentalization of Women (2019). Gulf Research Meeting (GRM) Conference, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Translations
McNicholas, A. “Sharq al-Adna: Covert British Radio and the Development of Arab Broadcasting.” Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication 13, no. 3 (2020).
