Dalal Hassane
Welcome! I am a junior at Harvard College pursuing a concentration in History & Literature with a secondary in Social Anthropology. I am passionate about storytelling, research, and advocacy. The intersection of my Kurdish and Syrian identities have informed my work in uplifting narratives of displacement and genocide. I hope to conduct long-term research on the Anfal Campaign in Iraq during the 1980s. I am fluent in Arabic and currently learning Sorani Kurdish as part of Harvard’s new Kurdish language program, which I advocated for during my first year of undergraduate study.
In April of 2023, donning traditional Kurdish clothing, I was one of ten students to give a speech at the Harvard Institute of Politics’ second “Our Narratives” showcase. My speech, “Reclaiming the Kurdish-Arab Mixed Identity,” which begins at 21:10, emphasized the impact of my heritage on my work in advocacy and writing.
Writing
I aim to use writing as a form of resistance to the various systems of oppression that have marginalized my people. I have written about the importance of Kurdish identity in the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Women, Life, Freedom) movement, language preservation, and colonial violence in Kurdistan. My work has appeared across various publications, and can be viewed at the “Writing” tab.
Campus Work
As one of few Kurdish students at Harvard College, I have sought to use my time at the institution to uplift narratives and histories from Kurdistan. I spearheaded advocacy efforts for Harvard’s first Kurdish (Sorani) language course, which was implemented in Fall 2023. I am also a campus education intern at the Harvard College Women’s Center, Political Action Co-Chair for the Society of Arab Students, and an editor for The Harvard Crimson.
Research Interests
I am interested in exploring collective memory, colonial violence, and cultural preservation in relation to the Kurdish cause. Particularly, I hope to focus on genocidal campaigns and Kurdish political movements during Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq and the intersections of Kurdish liberation movements across Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria.