Zohra Wardak Wins Prestigious Dissertation Prize for Research on Welsh Muslim Diaspora

School of Geography and Planning student Zohra Wardak has won the Royal Geographical Society’s (RGS) 2024 Dissertation Prize for her research on the experiences of Welsh Muslims in diaspora.

Her dissertation, “Ummatic” diaspora of diasporas? Translating the Ummah in a diasporic context through the experiences of Welsh Muslims living in diaspora, explores how the Ummah—the global Muslim community—is experienced by Welsh Muslims.

Inspired by her own background and supported by supervisor Dr Richard Gale, Wardak’s research documents diverse migration journeys and highlights the Ummah as a ‘diaspora of diasporas’.

Zohra conducted an interview with the Race, Culture and Equality Working Group (RACE) of the RGS-IBG about her experience of writing the dissertation.

“The Muslim world is united in pain, suffering, and resilience,” Zohra said. “My participants’ stories—whether about the Palestinian Nakba, post-colonial labour migration, or growing up in Wales—were incredibly moving.”

Zohra initially struggled to finalise her topic, wanting it to feel meaningful. “I kept asking myself, ‘so what?’ I wanted my work to have impact.” After reflection, her research focus crystallised, allowing her to write with clarity and passion.

She advises future students to plan ahead: “I finalised my topic just 1.5 months before submission, which meant a lot of all-nighters and coffee! Having a clear direction early on makes the process much smoother.”

Zohra credits theorists like Edward Said and Khaled Beydoun for shaping her thinking. She describes choosing to study at the School as “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made” and praises the its research excellence.

Hoping to pursue a research career, she aims to contribute to discussions on decolonisation, the Global South, and Islam. “I want to continue having an active voice in contemporary debates and explore the world through geography.”

Read Zohra’s full interview.