External Research Associate
mustahid.husain[at]utoronto.ca
Adjunct Lecturer
Deprtment of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough
Research Keywords:
Digital, feminist and socio-cultural anthropology; global political economy; masculinity and mental health; social justice and governance
Research Region(s):
Bangladesh, South Asia
Research Diaspora(s):
Muslim Diaspora
Dr. Mustahid Husain's (মুস্তাহিদ হুসাইন) research and pedagogy explore the relationship between the unconscious and broader social conditions, seeking to offer fresh perspectives on how psychoanalysis can illuminate the subjective experiences of racialized immigrants. He conceptualizes diaspora communities as sites where both trauma transmission and resilience occur, employing digital and feminist methodologies to address two critical gaps in contemporary anthropological scholarship: the intergenerational divide and geographic distance. His interdisciplinary work spans global political economy, mental health across gender identities, and community-engaged scholarship.
Currently, Dr. Husain is investigating how the July 2024 student-led uprising in Bangladesh reverberated throughout the Bangladeshi-Canadian diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). This research examines how historical trauma operates across generations and geographies, linking homeland and diasporic experiences while exploring how empathy and well-being develop within diaspora families.
Through three years of NSERC funding, Dr. Husain is implementing দুই ভুবন (Dui Bhubon - Two Worlds), an inclusive, digital Bangladeshi-Canadian Immigrant Archive dedicated to cultural preservation.
Recent Publications/Achievements
Dr. Husain’s SSHRC-funded, ethnography-based latest monograph, Masculinity and Mental Health of Muslim Men of Colour: Diaspora and Intersectionality of Canadian Youth (Palgrave 2024), unpacks the socio-cultural factors that contribute to poor mental health of male Muslim Canadian youth of South Asian origins. His first monograph, Development, Neoliberalism, and Islamism in South Asia: The Case of Bangladesh (Palgrave 2022), offers a unique perspective on neoliberal policies leading to social change in the Bangladeshi state by contributing to the othering, impacting industries such as migration and development, and shaping the daily lives of the people.
Dr. Husain’s work features in a range of journal articles, book chapters and edited volumes as well as received press coverage in British Broadcasting Corporation, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Foreign Policy and The Times Higher Education. He is an editorial board member at Public Administration and Development journal and an executive board member at the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development. The University of Toronto Press has offered an advance contract for Dr. Husain's forthcoming book, "Unquiet Minds: Agency, Inclusivity, and Mental Health in Racialized Muslim Canadian Youth." This work takes an intersectional approach to exploring the Muslim diaspora and gender, shedding light on the complex challenges faced by this community.
Literary Work
Dr. Husain’s internationally acclaimed debut novel, Double Truths, explores the journey of postcolonial reconstruction and self-discovery, delving into themes of identity, love, loss and belonging in contemporary South Asia. The book critically examines how development aid to impoverished countries often benefits facilitators, donors, and select wealthy clients—while rarely empowering those it is intended to help.
Academic Background
Dr. Husain completed his doctoral and postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia, where he received the university's Future Alumnus Award. He’s a University of Arizona alum.