Negar Razavi is a political anthropologist. Her work brings a critical feminist lens to studying national security, expertise, gender, race, humanitarianism, and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Drawing on over two years of ethnographic research in Washington, D.C., Negar’s research specifically examines the role of policy experts and think tanks in shaping U.S. security policies towards Iran and Egypt.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of expertise, but also the need for diverse perspectives and voices in shaping policy. Negar encourages individuals to recognize their own expertise and contribute to the conversation, while also leaving themselves open to constructive critique to improve our collective knowledge and ability to tackle structural challenges of our time.

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