Hashem Abushama ’17 was named an Associate Professor in Human Geography at the University of Oxford and is serving as a Tutorial Fellow at Oxford’s St. Peter’s College.
“Hashem’s appointment, especially at such a young age, is nothing short of a monumental achievement,” said Earlham Associate Academic Dean James Logan, who had Abushama in class. “This Earlham alum could well be on course to be one of the most important public intellectuals and justice advocates of his generation.”
Abushama, one of the two first Palestinians to be awarded the Rhodes Scholarship, received his doctorate of philosophy in human geography and a master’s of science in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from Oxford University. As an Earlham student, he was a Peace and Global Studies major and was deeply involved in student justice movements, including Students for Justice in Palestine and Black Lives Matter.
When he first arrived at Earlham, Abushama had his sights set on pre-medical and economics studies.
“I did one course with PAGS and fell in love,” said Abushama. “PAGS was a transformative experience for me.”
“Hashem was always so driven,” said Joanna Swanger ’90, PAGS director, “and he clearly wanted to do his very best at all times. When you combine this with his rather playful spirit, it was easy for me to match that energy.”
When Abushama had to miss class to interview for the Rhodes Scholarship, he was terrified he would miss a quiz.
“He was terrified of ever missing a quiz,” said Swanger. “I emailed him while he was actually on the airplane coming back, and said, ‘There’s a quiz you need to complete within the next 12 hours. Closed book.’” Abushama, of course, completed the quiz — and both he and Swanger got a laugh out of it afterward.
One course in particular shook his world: Global Dynamics and World Peace. “I purposely gave it a grandiose title to gently mock the sheer absurdity of the enormity of what we’re up against,” Swanger said of the course. Through the course, Abushama began a habit of submitting extra notes to Swanger on the readings, and she would provide feedback.
“To see a student this invested in going above and beyond was exciting for me, and I was happy to put in this kind of labor,” said Swanger. “I think most Earlham professors are responding in a similar way when they see this kind of effort from students, and this is indeed what makes Earlham known for its commitment to teaching, which at Earlham — because of the luxury of getting to know our students so well — is often a highly tailored craft personalized for students.”
Today, Abushama uses his Earlham experiences as a student to inform how he approaches the classroom as a professor.
“I had a lot of close attention from Earlham professors,” he said. “Being in conversation with teachers is something I hold dear to my heart. The more of a teacher I become, the more I appreciate it, because I understand how much labor goes into doing that kind of work, making yourself available to and being invested in your students.”
Abushama hopes to amplify the stories of Palestinians and oppressed communities around the world as he strives to understand how struggles are connected. He’s working on a book and recently published a prize-winning essay, “A Map without Guarantees: Stuart Hall and Palestinian Geographies.” He’s also excited to explore creative writing as a means to widen the discourse of these subjects outside of academia. Also on his bucket list? “I hope to visit Earlham!” ■