Eleyan Sawafta, MA, MA, BSc

Area of Study / Keywords

Political Science Peace & Conflict Studies Political Planning & Development Civil Engineering

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About

Eleyan Sawafta is a Ph.D. student and a graduate research assistant who holds a master's degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of North Carolina. He also holds an MA in Political Planning and Development from An-Najah National University in Palestine, as well as a BA in Engineering from the same institution. Currently, Sawafta is Canada's highly qualified personnel (HQP), working on a project funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). The project has a budget of $98.6M and focuses on citizenship, immigration, digital technology, and political participation. This project will be the first to concentrate on the Digital Platform Modernization and Transformation (DPMT) project. DPMT will be a multi-million-dollar initiative, expected to be completed in 2026, resulting in the creation of a new digital platform for the immigration department. This platform will also be used by other agencies involved in its implementation, as well as non-governmental organizations funded by the government. The project will analyze the genesis of DPMT, its development process, and real-time challenges associated with deploying such a massive technological change in an immigration department. This will be achieved by combining migration studies, public administration, technology studies, and infrastructure studies. Sawafta's primary research interests encompass interdisciplinary studies, including social movements, science and technology studies, Middle East studies, and immigration in comparative contexts.

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Research

I am currently working on several research projects that reflect my commitment to addressing critical issues at the intersection of technology, immigration, and social justice. My current research projects include:

Data ethics protocols for immigrant serving organizations and newcomer privacy protection (Expected completion date: September 2026)

Training in software Voyant (Expected completion: December 2026)

Observatory on Immigration Discourses (IDIO) (Expected completion: First version of the Observatory ready to use by December 2026)

Advanced digital technologies and immigration governance in comparative perspectives (Expected completion date: December 2026)

Digital Platform Modernization and Transformation in Canada (Expected completion date: December 2026)

My PhD dissertation explores social non-movements in North America, focusing on how international students navigate issues of surveillance and epistemic agony. Another key project examines Canadian parliamentary debates on AI and immigration, analyzing partisan rhetoric and the ethical implications of algorithmic governance. I also study digital diasporas, examining how international students, particularly BIPOC communities, navigate identity and activism in both digital and physical spaces under the dual pressures of empowerment and surveillance. Additionally, I am exploring how AI intersects with social movements, focusing on both the opportunities and risks of technological tools like predictive policing and algorithmic bias.

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Teaching

In Spring 2022, I began at the UNCG working as a teaching assistant for the course PCS 308: Working Through Interpersonal Conflict. This class investigates the origins of interpersonal and intergroup tensions and teaches effective techniques for addressing these issues in various settings, including the workplace, community, and home. Transitioning from my role as an Arabic tutor in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (LLC) to a researcher and teaching assistant in the Peace and Conflict Studies department has provided me with excellent opportunities at UNCG to advance my professional and academic pursuits. I look forward to expanding my research further.

Hasan Ayoub and Eleyan Sawafta

2025 July;

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Eleyan Sawafta

USA. 2024 June; 16 (2):7-13

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Eleyan Sawafta

UK. 2024 February; 6 (1):142-146

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Eleyan Sawafta and Hasan Ayoub

Qatar. 2023 July; 12 (45):105-136 10.31430/WYLM1291

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Eleyan Sawafta

UK. 2023 February; 5 (1):200-237

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Eleyan Sawafta

Palestine . 2021 August;

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View additional publications

• Linkedin
• ResearchGate