By Stephanie Taylor

Studying Islamic history always meant more to Waleed Kadray (BA’11) than simply getting a degree. Born in London, Ont., then moved to Halifax, the young Muslim Canadian said his fascination with Middle Eastern and Islamic empires began as a desire to learn about the history that shaped his identity.

“My experience at Dal informed who I was as a human being,” he says.

Dalhousie: the place to learn

Although he had a keen interest in history throughout high school, Kadray became inspired by many of the Dal professors who taught his Islamic and African history courses and first introduced him to the field of post-colonial studies. It was while taking a second-year course on the history of the Arab and Ottoman Empires that he realized that Middle Eastern history was far too complex and multifaceted to understand via a single historical approach. It demanded a more nuanced, dynamic and interdisciplinary method.

“I decided it was something I had to do. Not just to get a job, but for my personal growth.”

In fact, before that class Kadray said he had planned to switch to the University of Toronto or McGill University, but changed his mind. “I realized Dalhousie was the place to be if I wanted to get a good education and have access to really important historians,” he says.

Crafting a critical lens

In his years as an undergrad, Kadray believed his greatest education was the development of a critical lens to not only interpret but challenge those predominant cultural understandings of Muslims that continue to define an entire people.

“As a Muslim learning Islamic history and learning Middle Eastern history, it informed me on who I am today as Muslim and as an Arab,” he adds.

From academia to activism

Those years spent reading post-colonial texts and finding his voice within the intellectual discourse of his classes paid off. This spring, Kadray completed his Master’s in International Development and Global Studies from the University of Ottawa after finishing his thesis on the relationship between the Israeli Supreme Court and restriction on family reunification for Palestinians within Israel. He is now pursuing PhD opportunities with the goal of one day becoming a professor.

Reflecting on his undergraduate years, Kadray said he’s fortunate to have been afforded the opportunities at Dal to turn his education into activism through involvement in student life. As a former President of the Muslim Student Association, he organized a number of events, such as a lecture series to combat Islamophobia, or the hatred of Muslims, which he sees as rampant throughout North American culture.

“There’s a higher calling when it comes to study,” he said. “Someone should actually use education in action,” to instigate positive changes in their communities, not just classrooms, he say.