Whitney Buchanan (BA, MGA)

Biography

Qualifications

MGA in Global Affairs  University: The American University in Cairo, Egypt Specialization: International Cooperation  Thesis Title: International Agency Implementation of Women's Empowerment Programs Under Secular and Islamist Governments: Comparative Cases of UN Women and International Labour Organization Experiences in Egypt

 

BA in Religious Studies and Anthropology

University: The University of Tennessee, USA Focus: Christian-Muslim Relations and Interfaith Relationships in Post-Conflict Zones

Responsibilities & affiliations

The Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration

The Association for Women’s Rights in Development

Women's Media Center: SheSource Expert

Democrats Abroad Germany

Research summary

Whitney's research combines political theology with both anthropology of religion and gender studies. Some of her research interests include:

  • religious-based activism
  • Islam in Christian theology
  • gender in Islam and Christianity 
  • intersectional feminism in Islam and Christianity
  • migration and post-migration in theology, politics, and ethics
  • political and public theology
  • the intersection of religion and far-right movements

Current research interests

Whitney is currently working on gender, political Islam, and the far-right in the US and Germany.

Past research interests

Whitney has worked within the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture as a program manager at an international G20 initiative that focuses on food security, sustainable development, and research. During this time she was passionate about centering her work on women’s empowerment and leadership, particularly in the MENA region. Throughout the Arab Spring, Whitney worked on research projects associated with the UN Women and International Labour Organization’s women’s empowerment programs in Egypt.

Knowledge exchange

Whitney has been a public speaker at a variety of events. She was a main speaker at the Women's March in Berlin in 2019 and in 2020, where her speech was titled "Intersectional Feminism is Nothing Without Interfaith Dialogue." Whitney was also a main speaker at the "Resist the Far-Right" Demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin during the  2016 US Presidential Election.  She often partakes in workshops and local events concerning refugees, rights of Muslim women, intersectional feminism, and interfaith activism. community and church groups for workshops. 

Conference details

International Lecture Series: “Power to the People? Populism, Pluralism and Public Religion – a Global Theological and Interdisciplinary Conversation.”

Invited speaker

"The Intersection of Gender, Political Muslim Advocacy, and Populism: An Ongoing Case Study in the United States and Germany." April 2021.

Organiser

Co-Coordinating Team: Prof. Dr Rudolf von Sinner (Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná), Prof. Dr. Dion A. Forster (University of Stellenbosch), Dr. Ulrich Schmiedel (University of Edinburgh), and others. 

In the press

Topics Whitney frequently speak about are Christian-Muslim relations, social justice and change, international development and cooperation, intersectional feminism, interfaith dialogue, women’s empowerment, support of refugee communities, her experiences in Europe and the MENA region, and more.

You can find a selection of her speeches and interviews here: https://www.whitneybuchanan.com/speaking.  

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