Souadou LAGDAF
Keywords
Western Sahara, the Brotherhood of Sanusiyya in Libya, the social anthropologic customs, traditions and religious commandment in Mauritanian society, gender and immigration issues
Souadou Lagdaf is an Associate Professor of the History of Islamic Countries (STAA-01/J). From December 2011 to November 2016, she was a Type A fixed-term researcher, and from December 2016, she was a Type B fixed-term researcher (Law 240/10) at the Special Teaching Unit for Foreign Languages and Literatures in Ragusa: University of Catania. She graduated with honours from the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Catania, where she obtained a PhD in Contemporary History from the Department of Analysis of Political, Social and Institutional Processes in 2008. Her thesis was entitled “The Origins of Contemporary Libya: The Senussi and Resistance to Colonialism (1911–1969)”. In 2009, the Faculty Council of Political Science at the University of Catania appointed her Subject Specialist – SSD M-STO/04 – Contemporary History. In 2018, she obtained a national academic qualification as an associate professor in Sector 10/N1. From 17 November 2020 to 30 September 2022, she was Vice-President of the Special Teaching Unit for Foreign Languages and Literatures in Ragusa at the University of Catania.
She is an Associate Professor of the History of Islamic Countries (STAA-01/J) at the University of Catania, and a member of the Doctoral College in Science for Cultural Heritage and Production. Since 2024, she has also been an associate member, collaborating with the Institute for Mediterranean Studies (ISMED) of the CNR. Her research interests include the history of Western Sahara, the Sanusiyya Brotherhood in Libya, and the social anthropology of customs, traditions and religious commandments in Mauritanian society. She also researches issues related to gender and immigration. She has published a book on Western Sahara entitled The Unresolved Colonisation: Western Sahara from Spain to Morocco”, as well as book chapters and articles in academic journals such as The Journal of North African Studies, Oriente Moderno, Meridiana, and the Revista de Estudios Internacionales Mediterráneos (REIM).
Since 2025, she has been a co-editor and member of the Scientific Committee of the journal STØRELI. Rivista Annuale di Studi Storici, Religiosi, Linguistici e Letterari. She is also a member of the editorial board of Intelligere: mediare tra identità e alterità, a series published by Agorà & Co., Lugano (2016). She is also a member of the editorial board of the Meridiana journal (2024); the University Centre for Studies on Western Sahara (CESO) at the University of Santiago de Compostela (2022); the Sicilian Institute for the History of Contemporary Italy Carmelo Salanitro (ISSICO, 2018); the Western Sahara International Academic Observatory (OUISO, 2017); and the OUISO's Scientific Committee (since 2025).
- Researcher unique identifier (ORCID Id): 0000-0002-1684-9362
- URL for website: https://www.disum.unict.it/docenti/souadou.lagdaf
- Current and Previous positions: Since December 2019, I have been an Associate Professor of the History of Islamic Countries (L-OR/10 - STAA-01/J) in the Department of Humanities at the University of Catania.
From December 2016 to December 2019, I held a fixed-term research position (RTD-B) at the Special Teaching Unit for Foreign Languages and Literatures (SDS: Ragusa) at the University of Catania.
Before this, from December 2011 to November 2016, I worked as a fixed-term researcher (RTD-A: 3+2) in the same department.
- Visiting academic positions: Visiting Researcher, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Spain) 31/03/2025 - 30/04/2025.
- Teaching activities and PhD supervision
2019-26: Islamistics, Non-European History of the Contemporary Age, History of Islamic Countries. Islamic culture and civilization, History of Islam, History of religious thought. 2010-19: Islamistics, Contemporary history of Arab countries, History of Islamic countries, Arabic language, Contemporary history of Islamic countries; Cultures/istit/relig in master’s Course "Orientamento e Mediazione Culturale".
2006 PhD course in Humanities and Cultural Heritage.
2019, Evaluation of the dissertation entitled: Débat philosophique et politique sur la Constitution tunisienne, PhD in Politics, Culture and Development (c. XXXI University of Calabria in co-thesis with the University of Carthage).
Board for the final doctoral examination
- 27/09/2024, of the thesis entitled: Criminal Protection for Electronic Transactions: comparative study, Jordanian and Iraqi legislation, (Escuela de Doctorado Internacional USC).
2. 27/11/2023, of the thesis entitled: La cuestión del Sahara Occidental en África: Evolución desde las perspectivas constitucional e internacional. The Western Sahara issue in Africa: developments from a constitutional and international perspective, (Escuela de Doctorado Internacional USC).
3. 01/07/2019, of the thesis entitled: Islam and Moroccans in Italy: the intersection of multiple subjectivities, (PhD in Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean c. XXXI, L'Orientale, Naples).
4. 7/12/2023, of the thesis entitled: Modelli di pensiero e forma istituzionale: studio su una Teologia Politica nell’Islam Sunnita, (PhD in Politics, Culture and Development, c. XXXV, University of Calabria).
- National and international collaborations and networks that contribute to enhancing the scientific quality and feasibility of the proposal
1. An associate member with a collaborative role at the Institute for Mediterranean Studies (ISMED) of the CNR [2024-].
A member of:
2. The University Centre for Studies on Western Sahara (CESO) at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) [2022-];
3. The board of the Sicilian Institute for the History of Contemporary Italy, Carmelo Salanitro (ISSICO) [2018-];
4. The Western Sahara International Academic Observatory (OUISO) [2017-], Paris;
5. The OUISO tasks of the Scientific committee [2025-].
- Other work experience (e.g. consultancy, if any)
- Third mission (Formazione Continua e Aggiornamento): Co-organisation of a training course for secondary school teachers: An Inclusive Perspective on the 20th Century: Gender Studies, at the 'Giovanni Verga' State Secondary School in Modica (23 September – 11 December 2025).
Invited speaker at:
2. The International Conference entitled “Peace and Dialogue in the Mediterranean Space” was held at the Parliament of the Republic of Malta, Valletta, on 26 and 27 March 2026.
3. The third annual African Capital Cities Sustainability, in Pretoria, South Africa. To present a paper on the water distribution network and its sustainability in Sahrawi refugee camps, June 2017.
4. The seminar: Women in Libya: combining ideas and efforts to overcome the main internal and external challenges. Title of report: The new school texts in the post-Gaddafi era, Minerva Soc. coop. and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at Camera dei Deputati, October 2017.
5. The seminar: With Libyan women and their commitment to rights, pacification, and stabilisation in Libya. Title of report: The challenges of the constitutional process in Libya. organisation: Minerva Soc. coop. and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 2017.
6. The seminar: Crisis in Libya: Libyan women for a network of dialogue and peace. Title of report: Social- political history of the transition in Libya: 1951 and today. Organisation: Minerva Soc. coop. and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, April 2016.
- Scientific organisations/Coordination of academic activities
- 2–3/12/2025: Scientific Committee of the International Conference: Mediterranean or Mediterraneans? Plural visions and multiple challenges: A work in progress, CNR-ISMed, Naples.
- Organising and Scientific Committee of the two Winter Schools (SDS Ragusa, University of Catania - Department of Political Science, University of Reggio Calabria):
2. 2020: Mediterranean Knowledge and Transformations.
3. 2021: Global Citizenship, Migration and Radicalisation.
- Organising and Scientific Committees of international conferences at DISUM-SDS Ragusa, UNICT
4. 08–10/03/2023: “Women’s Voices” – Peace has a woman’s face: stories of (in)subordination, struggles and antagonism.
5. 29–30/10/2019: “Women’s Voices” – border crossings, migrations, narratives.
6. 11–12/12/2018: “Women’s Voices” Power and gender: religions, languages and cultures.
7. 12–13/12/2017: “Women’s Voices” in History: Languages, Rituals and Rights.
8. 20–21/01/2015: “Intercultural mediation to build social inclusion”.
9. 23–24 February 2026, co-organiser of the Ecofeminism Symposium (Benedictine Monastery), Speakers: Stefania Barca (USC), Silvana Galassi, Balgis Osman Elasha (African Development Bank)
- Seminar organisation at DISUM-SDS Ragusa, UNICT
10. 25/11/2025, The Culture of Violence Against Women, Speakers: Fatimetou Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Wahab (University Of Nouakchott, Mauritania), and Maria Concetta Tringali (Lawyer And Expert In Civil And Family Law, Trustee Adviser at UNICT).
11. 12/11/2025, Women in Mauritania: Between Religious Precepts and Traditional Culture, Speaker: Mohamedou Meyine, (University Of Nouakchott).
12. 2024–2025, Member of the Scientific Committee for the “Voices of Africa” seminar series, organised by: CNR-Institute of Mediterranean Studies (ISMed), Naples.
13. 13/12/2023, Women and Politics in Algeria, Speaker: Hayette Rouibah, Uni. of Jijel, Algeria.
14. 21/11/2023, 'Gender-Based Violence'. Meeting with the writer and journalist Giuliana Sgrena.
15. 10/11/2022, 'Cultures of the Sahara: Moorish madrasas, mechanisms and roles'. Speaker: Mohamedou Meyine, Uni. of Nouakchott. This event is part of the PhD programme in Heritage and Cultural Production Sciences (University of Catania).
16. 7–9/12/2021: Seminar series on Saharan cultures. 1. Scholarly Bedouinism; 2. Diseases and treatments in the Sahara; 3. Games and leisure among the Moors. Speaker: Mohamedou Meyine.
17. 14/11/2021: Seminar: Algerian Women: Risking Life to Build the Future. Speaker: Habiba Laloui, Algiers 2.
18. 28–31/10/2019, organisation of a series of seminars: Human Rights in North Africa. Speaker: Carlos Ruiz Miguel, USC, Spain.
19. 28/19/2019, organisation of the seminar: Women and the Law: The Struggle for Self-Determination, Yolanda Blanco Souto, USC.
20. 10 December 2018, On the Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Education for Peace.
21. 9 December 2015, organisation of the conference: Chaos at the Doorstep. The Mediterranean and Italy amid geopolitical crises and humanitarian emergencies.
22. 3–4 November 2015, organisation of the seminars: Conflicts and Mediation.
23. 25 January 2013, organiser of the conference: Student Movements, Political Opposition and Democratisation Processes in Asia and Africa.
24. 18–19 December 2012, organiser of the seminars: After the Arab Spring: Democracy or the Islamisation of Power.
25 11 May 2012, organisation of the conference-debate: “The Arab Spring: From Revolution to Democratic Challenges”.
- Participation in conferences with presentations
26. 23–24 April 2025, Speaker at the Ceso-USC/Universidad De Tifariti Conference: The Western Sahara Conflict: Legal and Geopolitical Perspectives in a Changing International Context, Presentation title: The origins of instability in the Maghreb, Organised by: Ceso-USC/Universidad De Tifariti (Santiago de Compostela).
27. 23-25/09/2024, 13th International Congress of the University Association for Women’s Studies (AUDEM): “The woman you ought to be? Precepts and norms of female behaviour in literature, culture and society”, presentation title: Women, Islam and emancipation: Between stereotype and desire, organised by the University of Córdoba.
28. 11–12 January 2024, Conference on ‘The Body in Islam and Islamic Societies’, presentation title: Body Care between Devotion and Prohibitions in Islamic Funeral Practices, Organised by: University of Naples “L’Orientale”, Department of Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean, Centre for Studies on the Islamic World, Inter-University Centre for Bioethics Research.
29. 5–7 October 2022, 12th International Congress of the University Association for Women’s Studies: Misogyny in Literature, Culture and Society. A Look at the Past and Challenges for the Future, presentation title: “Interpretations of Sacred Texts as Admonitions to Women in Funeral Rites”. Organised by: Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, University of Oviedo.
30. 20–24 September 2022, International Forum for Humanities and Social Sciences. Insaniyyat Congress on Middle Eastern, African and Mediterranean Studies. Title of paper: ‘جامعة الدول العربية في مواجهة النزاعات: القضية الفلسطينية والمسألة الصحراوية’ (The Arab League in the face of conflicts: the Palestinian and Sahrawi issues), Organized by: Institute for Research on the Contemporary Maghreb and the University of Manouba.
31. 27 June–1 July 2022, International Association for Intercultural Communication Studies (IAICS) 27th International Conference, Co-presentation with Prof. Yahia Zoubir, presentation title: The Political, Cultural, and Religious Impact of the Pandemic on Mauritanian Society, The University of Toledo
32. 8 June 2022, International Workshop. The subordinate role of women and its roots in culture, social and religious practices, and language. Title of the paper: Muslim women in sacred texts. Tradition and innovation, Organised by: Department of Anglo-Germanic Philology, University of Oviedo (S).
33. 3–4 November 2021, International Conference “Women’s Voices: Women in History (1945–2000)”, Presentation title: Sahrawi women between war, exile and diaspora, Organised by: Department of Humanities, University of Catania.
34. 3–5 October 2019, Yahia H. Zoubir/Souadou Lagdaf, International Conference, “History, Politics and Culture in the Middle East”, Paper title: The Woman Question in Algeria and Libya: The Betrayed Revolutionary Promises, Organised by: The German Middle East Studies Association for Contemporary Research and Documentation (DAVO) and the Section of Islamic Studies of the Deutsche Morgenlandische Gesellschaft (DMG), University of Hamburg.
35. 11–12 December 2018, International Conference, “Power and Gender: Religions, Languages and Cultures”, Paper title: Men are in charge of women: an interpretation in the tafsīr, Organised by: Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Ragusa, University of Catania.
36. 4 December 2018, International Conference “Memories of Colonial Legacies: The Case of Algeria”, Paper title: Religious Reformism and Nationalist Tensions: The Ulma Association, Organised by: Department of DiCes, UNICAL.
37. 26–29 November 2018, Speaker at the Conference on Wisdom, Faith and Dialogue, Title of presentation: Worship in Islamic cemeteries: devotion and prohibition. Organised by the University of Naples “L’Orientale”.
38. 16–21 July 2018, Chair of sessions PA-176 and PA-245. International, regional and internal dimensions of the protracted conflict in Western Sahara, World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES), Organised by WOCMES, University of Seville, Fundación Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo.
39. 23 November 2017, Speaker at the conference ‘Intellectuals and the Mediterranean. Between colonialism and world wars: from the public use of history to public history. Title of the paper: Explorers, anthropologists and archaeologists in the perception of Cyrenaican society. Organised by the Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Catania. (Closing event of the FIR 2014 project).
40. 29–30 May 2015, Speaker at the conference ‘New Directions for Oral History and Oral Sources: Research in Sicily’. Title of the paper: Narratives and National Identity. Towards a collection of oral sources on the Sahrawi people. Organised by: AISO (Italian Association of Oral History) in collaboration with the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Catania and the Grimaldi Foundation in Modica.
41. 5–7 June 2014, Speaker at the international conference, Third Finnish Colloquium of Middle East and North Africa Studies. Title of paper: The Protracted Conflict in Western Sahara: Conflicting Foreign Interests as an Obstacle to a Definitive Solution. Organised by: Finnish Institute in the Middle East, Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
42. 17 May 2013, Presentation at the international conference, “The democracies of the ‘others’ in the Mare Nostrum”: title of paper: The Libyan Constitution as a Hostage to the Revolutionary Process. Organised by: Kore University of Enna.
43. 26–27 June 2012, Speaker at the conference “Orientalisms. Representations of the East in Italian Culture”. Title of presentation: The Senussi in Libya: a Brotherhood Against Colonialism. Organised by: University of Catania. Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature. Ragusa.
44 8–10 September 2011, Speaker at the 25th SISP (Italian Society of Political Science) Conference – Palermo. Title of presentation: Libya between monarchy and al-Jam’hiriyya. Organised by: University of Palermo – “Gaetano Mosca” Department of Political, Legal and Social Studies.
45. 3–4 November 2008, Speaker at the international conference “The Mediterranean of Cities” – Catania. Title of presentation: The evolution of the Zawiye in Cyrenaica between the 19th and 20th centuries. Organised by: University of Catania.
- Presentations at seminars and conferences
46. 7 April 2025: Conference entitled Europe’s View of Senusia (1860–1930), organised by the Department of Social Anthropology, University of Vigo.
47. 20 February 2025, seminar: “Voices of Africa”. Presentation title: Arab women’s perspectives on conflicts in the Arab world, organised by: CNR-Institute of Mediterranean Studies (ISMed), Naples.
48. 14 February 2024, seminar: Studying the Mediterranean. Categories, interpretative frameworks, perspectives. Presentation title: A case of political instability in the heart of the Mediterranean: post-colonial Libya, organised by: CNR-Institute of Mediterranean Studies (ISMed), Naples.
49. 24 October 2018, Seminar: Islamic cemeteries in Italy: The case of the Trieste Mosque, Presentation title: The cult of the dead: the supervision of women in Islamic cemeteries, organised by Laboratorio Occhiali at the University of Calabria.
50. 27 October 2017, Guest speaker at the seminar: Women in Libya: combining ideas and efforts to overcome the main internal and external challenges. Presentation title: New school textbooks in the post-Gaddafi era, Minerva Soc. coop. and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the Chamber of Deputies: Sala Mappamondo.
51. 30 June–1 July 2017, Invited speaker at the seminar: With Libyan women and their commitment to rights, pacification and stabilisation in Libya. Title of presentation: The challenges of the constitutional process in Libya. Organised by: Minerva Soc. coop. and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
52. 15–16 April 2016, Invited speaker at the seminar: Crisis in Libya: Libyan women for a network of dialogue and peace. Title of presentation: The political and social history of the transition in Libya: 1951 to the present day. Organised by: Minerva Soc. coop. and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
53. 11 April 2014, Speaker at the 20th Multidisciplinary Course in Development Education. Title of presentation: Discrimination against Sub-Saharan peoples. Western Sahara: discrimination against a people. Organised by: UNICEF at the University of Cagliari.
54. 24 May 2012, Speaker at the seminar: “Arab Spring”. Title of presentation: The Arab Spring: the Libyan case. Organised by: University of Catania.
56. 11 May 2012, Organiser and Speaker at the conference-debate: “Arab Spring: from revolution to democratic challenges”. Title of presentation: Arab Spring: revolution or democratic process? Organised by: Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature, Ragusa, University of Catania.
- Editorial activity
- Member of the editorial board of the journals «Meridiana» and «Global Environment» [2024-];
- Co-director and member of the Scientific Committee of The Journal « STØRELI» Rivista Annuale di Studi Storici, Religiosi, Linguistici e Letterari [2025-];
iii. Co-director and member of the Scientific Committee of the series: Intelligere. Mediare tra identità e alterità, Agorà & Co, Lugano [2016-].
- Membership of scientific societies
- Brismes - British Society for Middle Eastern Studies [2021-];
- MESA- The Middle East Studies Association [2016-];
- Custaa - Consulta Universitaria per gli Studi su Asia e Africa [2016-];
- SSPSO - Società di storia patria per la Sicilia Orientale, [2018-];
- AISO - Associazione Italiana di Storia Orale AISO [2007-];
- Member of the Executive Board of the Emir Abdelkader Centre for Research, Strategic Studies and Mediterranean Dialogue [2025-]
- Funding (current and past)
- (2024-26) Women’s empowerment and eco-friendly practices in a context of war and diaspora. The case of Sahrawi women. (EcoSahara) - University of Catania (PI - individual project).
- (2020-2022) Voices of women: historical, religious and linguistic studies (VoxDO)- University of Catania (Team Member).
- (2018) The condition of women in the tafsīr. Comparing Religious Sources and Cultural Traditions, University of Catania (PI- individual project).
- (2018-2020) Decolonising migration studies. Personal project: Growing up elsewhere: immigrant minors from Islamic families and Italian society. The Sicilian case, University of Catania (Team Member).
- (2017) War and modernity: women in the Sahrawi refugee camps, University of Catania (PI-individual project).
- (2015-2017) Local powers, elites, intellectuals and the relationship between colonialism and the world wars, University of Catania (Team Member).
- FABR 2017, Funding for Basic Research Activities (FABR). ANVUR n. 20/2017 del 15-06-2017.
- 2012–2013 | Research project funded by the 2012 RESEARCHERS’ FUND at the School of Foreign Languages and Literatures (SDS) in Ragusa, University of Catania. Project title: “The Sanussa Brotherhood: Between Religious and Political Roles in the History of Libya” (Rector’s decree of 4 October 2012, ref. no. 3593 – from 1 November 2012 to 31 October 2013 – 12 months).