Aseel Zahran is a Jordanian of Palestinian origin who has always been interested in dialogue processes and creating safe spaces for difficult yet critical conversations. After spending a few years working with refugees in rural Jordan, she moved to Notre Dame to pursue an M.A. in International Peace Studies, with a focus on conflict analysis and transformation. During her time there, listening to On Being was a ritual that helped her reflect on her own work and engagement as an aspiring scholar/practitioner in her own field.
She is passionate about the role of the arts and literature in helping people grapple with their identities and blindspots. Last fall, she spent six months in Cape Town working with young community activists and thinking about the use of language as a way to unveil and reflect on history and social injustice in deeply divided South Africa.
In her free time, Aseel loves hiking, trying her hand at poetry and having long conversations on the complexity of being human, over a good cup of tea.