Prof. Paul Tabar, (Lebanese American University, Beirut), Institute for Migration Studies

Prof. Dr. Paul Tabar






Prof. Paul Tabar, (Lebanese American University, Beirut), Institute for Migration Studies


Prof. Tabar completed his academic education in Sydney, Australia. After teaching and researching at Western Sydney University, he was appointed to the Lebanese American University in Beirut in 2004, where he founded the Institute for Migration Studies in 2007 and for which he has since acted as director. Prof. Tabar’s research interests are in the area of (Lebanese) diaspora, Lebanese politics with a focus on immigration politics and immigration ties, and immigration to Australia, but he has also established a name for himself with his oft-cited publications on youth criminality and Bin Laden, making him a sought-after media and institutional expert on questions of the development of the Arab states and its diasporas.


In 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between ZIS (the Center for Intercultural Studies) at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz and the IMS (Institute for Migration Studies) at the Lebanese American University, Beirut, by the university presidents of both universities. The cooperation took on concreter form in August 2011 with plans for extended scholarly collaboration and an academic exchange for both faculty and students. Two jointly held international high-ranking conferences have already taken place to initiate this project: In May 2011, the international conference “Palastinian, Lebanese and Syrian Communities in the World: Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Studies” was hosted by the Dept. of Geography at the University of Mainz, and in February 2012, the international conference “Relationships between Diasporas and Their ‘Homelands’ and Their Impact on the State, National Identities, and Peace and Conflict” took place at the Institute for Migration Studies at the Lebanese American University, Beirut.


Curriculum vitae (This is a short reading of the curriculum vitae.)


Lecture by Prof. Dr. Paul Tabar 
“Diaspora and nation-building” 
Tuesday, June 5, 2012, 18:00 o’clock, Senatssaal (NatFak)


Lecture by Prof. Dr. Paul Tabar 
“The benefit of studying diaspora as a process, the case of Lebanon” 
Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 18:00 o’clock, Senatssaal (NatFak)


CURRICULUM VITAE 
Name: Paul Tabar 
Date of Birth: 28 November, 1953 
E-mail: [email protected]
Qualifications: BA (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia) 
BA honours (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia) 
PhD program (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia) 
Present Position: Associate Professor of Sociology, 
Director of the Institute for Migration Studies, 
Department of Social Sciences, 
School of Arts and Sciences 
Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon 
CAREER RESUME 
2006-present Associate Professor in Sociology/Political Sociology and 
Director of the Institute for Migration Studies, Lebanese American 
University (LAU), Beirut, Lebanon 
2005-2008 Chair of the Department of Social Sciences 
2004- 2005 Associate Professor, Social Sciences and Education Division at 
LAU, Beirut Campus 
Associate Researcher at University of Western Sydney, Centre for 
Cultural Research 
2003-2004 Associate Professor, School of Humanities/Department of Social 
and Behavioural Sciences, Notre Dame University,
Associate Researcher at University of Western Sydney, Centre for 
Cultural Research 
2001-2003 Assistant Professor, School of Humanities/Department of Social 
and Behavioural Sciences, Notre Dame University,
Associate Researcher at University of Western Sydney, Centre for 
Cultural Research 
1996-2000 Full-time Senior lecturer (B) in Sociology (four years contract), 
University of Western Sydney (UWS), Sydney. 
1996 Full-time Principal Researcher, University of Technology, Sydney. 2
Part-time Senior Lecturer, Sydney University, Department of 
Anthropology. 
1996 Part-time lecturer B, Sydney University (US), Department of 
Anthropology 
1993-1995 Assistant Professor and a Chairperson of Social Sciences Division, 
Lebanese American University (LAU), and Assistant Professor in 
Sociology/Political Sociology. 
1992 Full-time coordinator and lecturer A in Sociology, UWS, Nepean. 
Coordinator and lecturer A in Anthropology, UWS, Macarthur. 
1991 Full-time tutor and occasional lecturer in Sociology, School of 
Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, UWS, Macarthur. 
1990 Full-time tutor and occasional lecturer in Sociology, School of 
Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, UWS, Nepean. 
1989 Assistant researcher, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). 
1984-1989 Social and Community worker, Marrickville Legal Centre, Sydney. 
Part-time interpreter, Community Relations Commission 
(previously Ethnic Affairs Commission). 
1983 Assistant researcher, School of Education, Macquarie University 
(MU). 
1980-1982 Part-time tutor in Anthropology and Sociology, School of 
Behavioural Sciences, MU. 
1979-1980 Teacher of Arabic, TAFE and Nazareth Girls High School, 
Bankstown. 
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSABILITIES 
Leadership 
x In 2005-2006, I proposed a plan for the establishment of an Institute for Migration 
Studies (IMS) at LAU. The Institute is now founded and the School of Arts and 
Sciences appointed me as its director. 
x During the academic year (2006-2007), a member of the faculty and I put forward 
a proposal for the establishment of a Survey Research Unit. LAU administration 3
approved the proposal and is now considering turning it into a Survey Unit which 
would serve the research needs of LAU and the community at large. 
x During the same year, I also initiated the process to revamp the BA Program in 
Psychology. Now there is a standing committee looking into revising this 
Program. 
x In 2005-2006, I proposed a new Minor in Sociology and a totally new BA 
Program in Social Work and Community Development at LAU. The Minor is 
now offered and the new program in Social Work and Community Development 
is still under consideration. 
x In 2007-2010, I was a member of a committee which revised the Political Science 
and International Affairs BA Program at LAU. The new Program is now being 
considered for final approval. 
x During the past three years at LAU, I taught and designed new courses. These are: 
Sociology of Migration, Sociology of Gender, Sociology of Religion and 
Sociological Theories. 
Faculty committee work 
x Between 2006 and 2009, I was the Chair for the Department of Social Sciences 
and an active member of the School of Arts and Sciences Council. 
x During 2005-2006, I was an active member of the Graduate Degree Programs 
Committee working on producing an LAU Institutional Self-Study to obtain 
candidacy from The New England Association of Schools and Colleges 
(NEASC). The Self-Study is now completed and LAU is a NEASC candidate. 
x During 2004-2005, I was an active member of the Development Strategic 
Planning Subcommittee involved in the making of the overall strategic planning 
for LAU. 
x Since 2005, I am a member of the Graduate Studies Council at LAU and a 
member of the Academic School Council representing the Social Sciences and 
Education Division. 
Services to the Relevant Profession and/or Academic Discipline and/or Relevant 
Contribution to the Wider Community 
Development of relationship between the University and the wider community 4
x Peer reviewer for the following academic journals: Youth Studies Australia, 
Anthropological Forum, National Identities, Journal of Australian Studies and 
Journal for Intercultural Studies
x Since the beginning of 2008, I am a member of the editorial committee of the 
Arab Journal of Sociology 
x Throughout the nineties and until now, I was interviewed on several occasions by 
Australian and Lebanese media (radio, TV and newspapers) to comment on 
social, political and multicultural issues (e.g. ‘Lebanese ethnic gangs’, racism 
and the Arabic-speaking communities, the threat of terrorism, etc.) 
x Between May 24 and 26, 2007, I was the convenor of an international conference 
on Politics, Culture and Lebanese Diaspora which was held at LAU on Beirut 
Campus. The conference hosted three keynote speakers, Vincent Crapanzano 
(City University of New York), Ghassan Hage (Sydney University) and Akram 
Khater (North Carolina State University, USA). 
x In 2008, the Association of Arab Sociologists in collaboration with the Centre for 
Arab Unity Studies took a decision to publish an internationally refereed journal 
called: Idafat: the Arab Journal of Sociology. I am appointed as a member of its 
editorial committee. 
x In 2005, I organised a launch in Sydney for two books: ‘Lebanese Diaspora’, 
published by LAU and ‘The Lebanese in Australia’, published in Arabic by 
Mukhtaraat. I also conducted a Radio interview on these two books on SBS 
Arabic Program. The interview is accessible on line (www.sbs.com.au), Arabic 
Program. Interviews were also conducted with the El-Telegraph, the largest 
circulating Arabic newspaper in Australia. A copy of the interview is available on 
request. 
x In 2005, I was a member of an LAU delegation to establish relations with various 
Australian Universities and High Schools, and to build contacts with the 
Lebanese migrant community for the sake of marketing the educational services 
of LAU. Initial contacts were also made to establish a Chapter for LAU Alumni 
in Sydney. During this visit, I also conducted a Radio interview on SBS Radio on 
the political situation in Lebanon. This interview is available on line (see above). 
Membership of academic societies 
x Member, the Australian Sociological Association 
x Member, the Australian Anthropological Society 
x Member, the Australian Middle East Studies Association 
x Member, the Lebanese Sociological Association 
x Member, The Arab Sociological Association 5

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