Rate My Professor Mariam Farida

Dr. Mariam Farida is a Lecturer in Terrorism Studies in the Department of Security Studies and Criminology, School of International Studies, Faculty of Arts at Macquarie University. She earned her PhD in Security Studies and Criminology from Macquarie University in 2019, with a thesis entitled Religion and Hizbullah: Political Ideology and Legitimacy. Prior to this, she completed a Master of Arts in Politics and International Relations at the University of New South Wales in 2012, focusing on Islamophobia and New Racism Theory. Her research specializations include Middle East politics, non-state groups, terrorism, and political violence. Farida has authored the book Religion and Hezbollah: Political Ideology and Legitimacy (Routledge, 2020). Key publications also encompass chapters such as "Hezbollah" and "Non-state armed group transition to party politics" in the Handbook of Terrorist and Insurgent Groups: A Global Survey of Threats, Tactics, and Characteristics (CRC Press, 2024), and the article "Religious assessment and reintegration responses: the use of religious supports within prison-based services in Australia" in the Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (2024, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 284-293). She has contributed expert commentary to The Conversation, including articles on Iran's axis of resistance (2024) and scenarios for Lebanon amid Israeli invasion (2026).

In addition to her academic role, where she convenes units on international terrorism and counter-terrorism and supervises PhD researchers, Farida serves as a consultant for Counter Violent Extremism programs with Corrective Services New South Wales. She is a member of the AVERT Research Network and Counter Extremism Hub, and chairs Advance HE since 2023. Her projects include developing evidence-based training for NSW local governments on preventing and responding to hate and extremism (2025-2026) and providing subject-matter expertise to the Crown Solicitor. Farida has delivered invited presentations, such as "The Weaponization of Religious Myths: An Ethnography of Shi’ite Gendered Narratives" (2023), and received an honorary award for Work in Academia in 2021. With 19 research outputs, her work influences policy, prison reintegration, and academic discourse on terrorism and extremism.