About
Dr. Noor Ghazal Aswad’s research examines the intersections of immigrant and refugee studies, Middle East communication, political communication and social movements. Her research investigates how individuals and communities use rhetoric to navigate issues of identity, power and belonging across borders and cultures.
Integrating rhetorical tradition, post-colonial theory, critical theory, social movement theory and transnational studies, Dr. Aswad’s work explores how communication functions as both a tool of empowerment and a site of struggle. Her studies highlight how marginalized voices, particularly those of refugees and diasporic communities, reshape narratives of nationhood, justice and citizenship.
Impact Beyond the University
Dr. Aswad’s research contributes to a global understanding of how communication sustains resilience in the face of displacement and political upheaval. Her work illuminates the strategies that immigrants and refugees use to claim visibility and agency in public discourse, challenging dominant representations in media and politics.
Her work has earned some of the most prestigious honors in the field of rhetoric and public address. She received the Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award (2024) from the National Communication Association—one of the discipline’s highest recognitions for rhetorical scholarship. She also earned the Michael Pfau Outstanding Article Award (2023) for her essay “Radical Rhetoric: Toward a Telos of Solidarity,” as well as the Emerging Scholar Award (2024) from NCA’s Public Address Division, marking her as one of the field’s most influential rising voices. Dr. Aswad recently published her first monograph, Searching for Solidarity: Revolutionary Dreams and Radical Social Movements(Ohio State University Press, 2025), which examines the “how-to” of making solidarity as an affective, ethical, and political practice.
A Passion for Teaching and Empowerment
In the classroom, Dr. Aswad invites students to explore how communication shapes questions of identity, migration and global justice. She encourages critical thinking and empathy, helping students recognize the power of rhetoric in social change.
Through mentorship, she empowers students to see communication as a means of advocacy and transformation. Whether discussing political rhetoric or storytelling in diasporic communities, Dr. Aswad challenges her students to understand communication not only as an academic discipline but as a moral and civic responsibility.
To buy Searching for Solidarity: Revolutionary Dreams and Radical Social Movements, click HERE.