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Sousan Abadian, Ph.D.
About the Contributor
Dr. Sousan Abadian is the Executive Director of the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University, alongside two other degrees from Harvard in Anthropology and International Development. She is a Fulbright Scholar, having worked with First Nations in Canada on integrating Indigenous perspectives into curricula.
Dr. Abadian’s research on cultural renewal and addressing collective trauma in Indigenous communities has been praised by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen for its originality. She teaches and consults globally on leadership, healing intergenerational trauma, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge.
Dr. Abadian has worked with the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and focuses on issues such as preventing violent extremism, defending religious minorities, and addressing gender-based violence. She has held fellowships at prestigious institutions like M.I.T.’s Dalai Lama Center and Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership. She is also the author of Generative Cultural Renewal: An Effective Resource in Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting & Other Harmful Practices (2022), which explores ethical and culturally sensitive approaches to evolving harmful traditional practices.
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