Profile
I'm an adjunct-assistant professor at the Zakat Foundation Institute at Indianapolis University, USA, and research fellow on diaspora and bi-cultural philanthropy and volunteering at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands. I'm an internationally trained cultural and social anthropologist with two master-degrees in Cultural and Social Anthropology and Sociology of non-Western societies, and I hold a PhD in Business and Management from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.
Through my topic on diaspora and bi-cultural volunteering and philanthropy in the country of origin yet done by diaspora and bi-cultural citizens, volunteers and philanthropists who live in the country of residence, my aim is to contribute to the intercultural dialogue in academia and practice. I mainly focus on philanthropic and voluntary behavior of diaspora and bi-cultural philanthropists and volunteers (think of refugees, economical immigrants, and those who are raised in two (or more) ethnical environments). My research is done in international contexts in which diaspora and bi-cultural philanthropists and volunteers are active, their personal motives (intergenerational philanthropic traditions, interpersonal layers of philanthropic mechanisms and the search for a sense of belonging). Along with the possible effects of diaspora and bi-cultural philanthropy and volunteering (in both the country of residence and the country of origin). One may think of the effects of (what may seem as) neo/post-colonial behavior, philanthropic activism, de-colonialization of philanthropy and the development diasporic aid and engagements in crises in the homeland.
I am the project-lead of the EU-funded project "Museums and Restoration Volunteering for Inclusion" (MARVI), the chair of the board of the expertise centre HuCom, the advisor and board-member of the World Opera Lab Netherlands and Yep Africa Foundation, and I teach courses on Humanitarian Leadership Practices, Diaspora Nonprofit, Diaspora philanthropy and volunteering, Diaspora engagement, and the process of decolonization (in e.g. nonprofit organisations) through diaspora nonprofit organisations and individual diaspora channels at several universities worldwide.
Publications
Article (6)
Academic (6)
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Ouacha, M., Meijs, L., & Biekart, K. (2024). Diasporic Philanthropy and the Sense of Belonging as an Expression of Diasporic Cultural Identity and Inclusion. Voluntas, 35(6), 1081-1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-024-00674-3
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Ouacha, M. (2023). (Be)longing to the village: how the earthquake in Morocco reveals the importance of the homeland in diaspora identity. DevISSues, Oktober 2023. https://www.devissues.nl/belonging-village-how-earthquake-morocco-reveals-importance-homeland-diaspora-identity
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Ouacha, M., & Meijs, L. (2021). Cross-border Philanthropy in the Islamic World: From Western Europe to the Middle East (MENA). Journal of Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society, 5(2).
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Ouacha, M. (2021). Diasporic volunteering in cross-national perspective:is faith-based more effective than secular philanthropy? A case of the Netherlands and Morocco. Journal of Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society, 5(2), 114-139.
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Ouacha, M., & Meijs, L. C. P. M. (2021). Cross-border Philanthropy in the Islamic World: from Western Europe to the Middle East (MENA): an introduction. Journal of Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society, 5(2). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356904286_Cross-Border_Philanthropy_in_the_Islamic_World_from_Western-Europe_to_the_Middle_East_and_North_Africa_MENA_an_introduction
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Ouacha, M., & Meijs, L. C. P. M. (2021). INTRODUCTION 0F. Journal of Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society, 5(2), 3-20.
Book/Film/Article review (2)
Popular (1)
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Ouacha, M. (2024). Film Review. The Football Aficionado. Directed by Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh and Paliz Khoshdel. Urbanities, 14(2). https://www.anthrojournal-urbanities.com/vol-14-no-2-november-2024/
Professional (1)
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Ouacha, M. (2023). Claudia Bernardi et al. (eds), Moving Workers. Historical Perspectives on Labour, Coercion and Im/Mobilities. [Work in Global and Historical Perspective, Vol. 19] (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2023?) 267 pp. ISBN 9783111136516. Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis, 21(2), 181-184. https://doi.org/10.52024/p3de5h19
Chapter (3)
Academic (3)
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Ouacha, M. (2025). Diaspora Nonprofits in an Islamic (faith-based) Nation State: an empirical case study on Morocco. In M. Rudvin, & D. E. G. (Eds.), Mediterranean Dialogues on Migration Palermo University Press.
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van Overbeeke, P., & Ouacha, M. (2022). The value of diasporic cross-border philanthropy and voluntourism. In K. Biekart, & A. Fowler (Eds.), A Research Agenda for Civil Society (pp. 173-187). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800378155.00021
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Ouacha, M. (2022). Trabalho de Campo e Questões de Gênero: diálogos entre o Norte e o Sul Global - Ethnographic fieldwork and gender issues: dialogues between the Global North and Global South. In Lugares de fala: direitos, diversidades, afetos (Places of speech: rights, diversity and affects). https://doi.org/10.31560/pimentacultural/2023.96375
Doctoral Thesis (1)
Internal (1)
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Ouacha, M. (2024). Receiving by giving: The examining of cross-border diasporic and bi-cultural philanthropy. [Doctoral Thesis, Erasmus University Rotterdam]. Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR).
Review article (1)
Academic (1)
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Ouacha, M. (2023). Book review: Şebnem Eroğlu. Poverty and International Migration. A Multi-Site and Intergenerational Perspective. International Review of Social History, 68(2), 328 - 331. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020859023000275
Special issue (editing) (1)
Academic (1)
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Ouacha, M., Isanski, J., Kozak, J., & Dyczewski, B. (2025). Special Issue: Searching for a Better Life with my Community: migratory trends in religious-based social networks. Religions, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16030282
Working paper (1)
Academic (1)
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Ouacha, M., & Wieriks, R. H. Y. (2025). De paradox in de duurzaamheidsregelgeving - gelden de SDGs echt voor iedereen? De rol van diaspora in de implementatie van de SDGs in het Globale Zuiden. Advance online publication.
Activities
Additional positions (4)
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London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineStart date approval: 05 Oct 2023End date approval: 01 Sep 2025Place: LONDONDescription: Het geven van 2 online lectures via Zoom.
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Centrum van Filantropie VU AmsterdamStart date approval: 19 Feb 2024End date approval: 18 Feb 2027Place: AMSTERDAMDescription: Lecture on Diaspora philanthropy
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SIT Study AbroadStart date approval: 19 Feb 2024End date approval: 18 Feb 2027Place: VANCOUVER, CANADADescription: Lecture on Diaspora philanthropy
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Zakat Foundation Insitute, IU, USAStart date approval: 01 Jul 2025End date approval: 24 Jun 2028Place: INDIANAPOLIS, USADescription: Adjunct-Ass. Professor Hum. Practices & Leadership
Additional activities (7)
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Chairperson of the Board Expertise Centre Humanitarian Communication (HuCom)Malika Ouacha (Other)01 Jan 2025
Activity: Other activity > Other (Professional)
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Ethnograpic Incubator @EURMalika Ouacha (Chair)27 Jun 2024
Activity: Attendance > Organising and contributing to an event (Academic)
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Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations (Journal)Malika Ouacha (Reviewer)01 Jan 2024
Activity: Editorial work (Academic)
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Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (Journal)Malika Ouacha (Reviewer)01 Jan 2024
Activity: Editorial work (Academic)
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ARNOVAs common interest group "Diaspora & Bi-cultural Philanthropy" (External organisation)Malika Ouacha (Chair)01 Jan 2024
Activity: Other activity > Membership of committee (Academic)
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Eramus+ Project “Museums and Restoration Volunteering for Inclusion” (MARVI) (co-funded by the EU) (External organisation)Malika Ouacha (Chair)01 Jan 2024
Activity: Other activity > Membership of board (Academic)
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Journal of Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society (Journal)Malika Ouacha (Reviewer)01 Jan 2020
Activity: Editorial work (Academic)
Courses
Professional Development II
- Study year: 2024/2025, 2023/2024
- Code: BT2204
Professionele ontwikkeling II
- Study year: 2024/2025, 2023/2024
- Code: BK2204
Featured in the media
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Volunteering across borders
Researcher Dr Malika Ouacha talks about pitfalls in the exchange of culture and knowledge through volunteering in this article from the Association of Dutch Volunteer Organizations (NOV). (in Dutch) …
Tuesday, 27 August 2024 -
Dutch people with Moroccan roots give generously to the region of origin of their parents or grandparents
Dutch people with Moroccan roots give generously to the region of origin of their parents or grandparents. Malika Ouacha received her PhD yesterday on what that means for people living in the Netherlands and people in Morocco. …
Friday, 9 February 2024 -
Cross-Border Philanthropy in the Islamic World: From Europe to North Africa and the Middle East (MENA)
Post-doc researcher Malika Ouacha and Prof. Lucas Meijs guest-edited this special issue of the Journal of Muslim Philanthropy & Civil Society.
Wednesday, 1 December 2021 -
Cross-Border Philanthropy in the Islamic World: From Europe to North Africa and the Middle East (MENA)
Prof. Lucas Meijs and PhD candidate Malika Ouacha are guest editors for this issue of the Journal of Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society.
Wednesday, 1 December 2021 -
Cross-Border Philanthropy in the Islamic World: From Europe to North Africa and the Middle East (MENA
Malika Ouacha and Lucas Meijs wrote the introduction to this special issue of the publication.
Wednesday, 1 December 2021
