Headshot of Sandy Marshall

Sandy Marshall

Associate Professor of Geography

Department: History and Geography

Office and address: Lindner Hall - Arts & Sciences, Office 112-I 2335 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Phone number: (336) 278-5154

Professional Expertise

Political and Cultural Geography, Middle Eastern Geography, Islam, Migration and Refugees, Children and Youth

Brief Biography

Dr. Marshall is a Human Geographer who works with migrant and refugee children and youth on issues related to conflict and humanitarian aid. Growing up in Arizona along the US/Mexico border, Dr. Marshall developed an early interest in the geography of borders and migration. He followed this interest to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where borders and political divisions are so visibly inscribed on the landscape. While in Belfast, Dr. Marshall studied the politics of peace and conflict resolution, both in the classroom and by watching the Irish peace process unfold around him. Against the backdrop of escalating conflict in the Middle East at that time, Dr. Marshall travelled to the region for the first time to conduct undergraduate research in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. After graduation, Dr. Marshall returned to the Middle East as a volunteer teacher in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank. Motivated to gain further cultural and linguistic expertise in the region, Dr. Marshall returned to the US to undertake a Master’s in Near Eastern Studies at the University of Arizona. After a stint working in refugee resettlement, Dr. Marshall began his Ph.D. in Geography at the University of Kentucky. Inspired by his previous volunteer experience working with young people in Palestine, Dr. Marshall’s sought to work with Palestinian refugee children in his research to better understand their everyday lives in the camp. His writing reveals how children express their hopes and desires through creating places of play in the camp and by living beyond trauma and suffering. Since then, he has worked on research related to youth citizenship and belonging in divided societies, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Lebanon, and South Africa. His latest research examines intergenerational memory of shared religious sites in Palestine.

News & Notes

Education

Employment History

Assistant Professor of Geography, Elon University (2017-present)

Visiting Assistant Professor of Geography, University of Arizona (2016-2017)

Post-Doctoral Researcher, University of Arizona (2015-2016)

Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Durham University (2013-2015)

Courses Taught

COR 110: The Global Experience 

GEO 131: World’s Regions 

GEO 171: Intro to Human Geography 

GEO 374: Middle East People and Place 

GEO 373: Global Migration 

GEO 371: Cinema and the City 

GBL 204: US/Mexico Borderlands: Culture, Environment & Immigration 

 

Leadership Positions

Assistant Director of the Master's in Development Practice Program, University of Arizona (2016-2017)

Grants Awarded

2016     University of Arizona, Center for Middle Eastern Studies Faculty Research Development

2016     University of Arizona, 100% Student Engagement Grant

2015     Durham University, Geography Department Research Development Fund

2014     Durham University, Institute of Hazard Risk and Resilience Special Seed Corn Grant

2012     Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies, Dissertation Completion Fellowship

2010     National Science Foundation, Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (NSF-DDRI)

2010     Palestinian American Research Center Fellowship

2006     U.S. Department of Education/University of Arizona, Foreign Language and Area Studies 

 

Publications

PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES

Marshall, D.J., Staeheli, L.A., and Celebicic, V. 2019. "Why are 'we' called 'them'?: Storytelling and the contested terrain of post-conflict public formation." Environment and Planning D: Society and Space.

Sousa, C. and Marshall, D.J. 2017. “Political violence and mental health: Effects of neoliberalism and the role of international social work practice.” International Social Work. 60 (4), 787-799

Hammett, D. & Marshall, D.J. 2017. “Building Peaceful Citizens? Nation-building in divided societies.” Space & Polity. 21(2), 129-143.

Marshall, D.J.; Staeheli, L.A.; Smaira, D.; and Kastrissianakis, K. 2017. “Narrating Palimpsestic Spaces.” Environment and Planning: A. 49(5), 1163–1180.

Staeheli, L.A., Marshall, D.J. and Maynard, N. 2015. “Circulations and the Entanglements of Citizenship Formation.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 106 (2), 377-384.

Marshall, D.J. 2015. “‘We have a place to play, but someone else controls it’: Space, mobility, and gender in occupied Palestine.” Global Study of Childhood. 5 (2), 191-205.

Marshall, D.J. and Staeheli, L. 2015. “Mapping civil society with Social Network Analysis.” 
Geoforum. 61, 56-66

Boyce, G.; Marshall, D.J.; and Wilson, J. 2015. “Concrete Connections? Articulation, Homology, and the Politics of Boundary Walls.” Area. 47 (3), 289–295.

Marshall, D.J. 2014. “Love stories of occupation: storytelling and the counter-geopolitics of intimacy.” Area. 46 (4), 349-351.

Marshall, D.J. 2014. “Save (us from) the children: trauma, Palestinian childhood, and the production of governable subjects.” Children’s Geographies. 12(3), 281-296.

Marshall, D.J. 2013. “‘All the beautiful things’: trauma, aesthetics and the politics of Palestinian childhood.”  Space and Polity. (17) 1, 53–73. 

 

BOOK CHAPTERS

Marshall, D.J. 2016. “Playing with Discourse: Islam, Soap Operas, and Girls’ Access to Space in Balata Refugee Camp.” In T. Skelton, N. Worth, and C. Dwyer (Eds.), Springer Major Reference Work in Geographies of Children and Young People: Geographies of Identities and Subjectivities, Inclusion/Exclusion, Marginalisation and Representation (Vol. 4). Springer Publishing.

Marshall, D.J. 2015. “Existence as resistance: children and everyday politics in Palestine.” In T. Skelton, K. P. Kallio, & S. Mills (Eds.), Springer Major Reference Work in Geographies of Children and Young People: Politics, Citizenship and Rights. (Vol. 7). Springer Publishing.

Marshall, D.J.; and Sousa, C. 2014. “Decolonizing Trauma: Liberation Psychology, Postcolonial Theory, and Childhood Trauma in Palestine.” In K. Horschelmann and C. Harker, (Eds.), Geographies of children and young people: Conflict, violence, and peace (Vol. 11). UK: Springer.

 

REVIEWS & COMMENTARIES 

Marshall, D.J. 2019. "The state of Palestinian youth–commentary to Habashi." Fennia-International Journal of Geography. 197 (1), 151-154 1 2019

Jeffrey, A., Staeheli, L. and Marshall, D.J. 2018. "Rethinking the spaces of civil society." Political Geography. 67, 111-114

Marshall, D.J. 2018. "Political socialization of youth: a Palestinian case study." Children's Geographies. 16 (5), 578-580.

Marshall, D.J. 2016 Review of Violent Neoliberalism: Development, Discourse, and Dispossession in Cambodia. Environment and Planning D: Society & Space, November.

Kiwan, D.; Marshall, D.J.; Staeheli, L.; and Jalbout, M. 2014. “Arab Philanthropy for Civic
Change in Lebanon: Education or Inclusive Citizenship for Women, Youth and Refugees.” Proceedings of Takaful: Fourth Annual Conference on Arab Philanthropy and Civic Engagement.

Marshall, D. 2013. Palestine and the anti-politics of peace and security, ThinkIR, 24 September.

Marshall, S. 2011. The Double Occupation in Palestine. Human Geography (4) 1.        

Marshall, S. 2010. Review of Abolition Now!: Ten Years of Strategy and Struggle against the
Prison Industrial Complex
. Human Geography (2) 3, 124-126.

Marshall, S. 2009. Review of Johannesburg: The Elusive Metropolis. Reconstructions (9)1.

Marshall, S. 2006. Postcard from Jenin.  Foreign Policy in Focus Special Feature, 22 September.
 

Presentations

INIVTED PRESENTATIONS

Marshall, D.J. “Being/Longing - Visualizing Belonging with Palestinian Refugee Children.” University of North Carolina, Department of Geography colloquium, Chapel Hill. November 2018.

Marshall, D.J. Invited panelist on a session entitled “Parenting and political violence: Struggles and strategies.” AAG Annual Meeting, San Francisco. March/April 2016.

Marshall, D.J. and Staeheli, L. “Mapping Lives/Telling Stories: The Spatial Politics of Intergenerational Memory and Hope in Beirut.” Part of the School of Middle Eastern & North African Studies Spring 2016 Colloquium Series at the University of Arizona. Tucson, Arizona. April 2016.

Marshall, D.J. and Staeheli, L. “Mapping the Palimpsestic Spaces of Post-conflict Cities.” Weekly
colloquium at the University of Arizona School of Geography and Development. Tucson, Arizona. September 2015.

Marshall, D.J. “Gendered Mobility and Life-Course Pathways in Palestine.” Part of the “Being Young” seminar series at the Department of International Development at the University of Oxford. Oxford, UK. May 2015.

Marshall, D.J. “Redefining Risk, Resiliency and Trauma with Palestinian Refugee Children.” Children, Young People and Development: 5th Annual Symposium in Environment, Society and Development. National University Ireland - Galway. Galway, Ireland. August 2014.

Marshall, D.J. “Pushing Boundaries: Gender, Childhood, and Everyday Mobility in Balata Refugee Camp.” Borders, Mobilities, and Inequalities in Palestinian Societies. Institut d'études de l'Islam et des sociétés du monde musulman, École des hautes études en sciences sociales. Paris, France. April 2014.

Marshall, D.J. Invited presenter at the Creative Methodologies Research Workshop. Department of Geography, Durham University. Durham, UK. March 2013.

Marshall, D.J. Invited panelist on a panel session entitled “The Rewards and Challenges of Conducting Research in Palestine.” AAG Annual Meeting, Los Angeles. April 2013.

Marshall, D.J. “Save us from the children: Trauma, Citizenship and the Politics of Palestinian Childhood.” Center for Middle Eastern Studies seminar, University of Arizona. Tucson, Arizona. October 2012.

Marshall, D.J. “Landscapes of Palestinian Childhood: Imaginary, Embodied and Everyday Spaces of Palestinian children.” Palestinian American Research Center. Ramallah, Palestine. March 2011.

Marshall, D.J. “Palestinian Refugees and the Legacy of Forced Migration: The Limits and Perspective of the Human Rights Approach.” Migrations in the Euro-Mediterranean Region through the Human Rights Perspective, Anna Lindh Foundation and Mediterraneum United. Ljubljana, Slovenia. December 2010.        

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Marshall, D.J. “Digital Storytelling as Community-Based Learning Tool.” SEDAAG Annual Meeting, Wilmington, NC, November 24-25 2019. 

Marshall, D.J. and Smaira, D. “Visualizing critical geopolitics: inter-generational, place-based digital storytelling.” AAG Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., April 3-7 2019.  

Marshall, D.J. Panelist on the “Promises and Pitfalls of Undergraduate Research Panel.” AAG Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. April 3-7 2019.  

Marshall, D.J. “Of Mipsters and Model Citizens: The Politics of Muslim Youth Civic Engagement.” AAG Annual Meeting, New Orleans. March 2018.

Marshall, D.J. “Public histories/private places: Mapping and Mediatizing Memory in Nablus, Palestine.” AAG Annual Meeting, Boston. April 2017.

Marshall, D.J.; Staeheli, L.A.; and Celebicic, V. “Why are ‘we’ called ‘them’?: The contested terrain of dialogue and engagement in post-conflict societies.” AAG Annual Meeting, San Francisco. March/April 2016.

Marshall, D.J. and Staeheli, L. (2015) “Future Perfect: Temporalities of Youth Citizenship in
Divided Societies.” Geographies of Children, Youth & Families 4th International Conference, San Diego, California, 12-14 January.

Kiwan, D.; Marshall, D.J.; Staeheli, L.; and Jalbout, M. “Arab Philanthropy for Civic Change in Lebanon: Education or Inclusive Citizenship for Women, Youth and Refugees.” Takaful 2014 - Fourth Annual Conference on Arab Philanthropy and Civic Engagement, Beirut, Lebanon. June 2014.

Staeheli, L.; Marshall, D.J. “Future Perfect? Sedimented Temporalities of Youth Citizenship in Post-conflict Societies.” International Geographical Union Regional Conference, Krakow, Poland. August 2014.

Marshall, D.J. “Child Protection: Trauma, Governmentality, and the Threatening Palestinian Child.” AAG Annual Meeting, Los Angeles. April 2013.

Wilson, J.; Marshall, D.J.; Boyce, G. “Concrete Connections? Border security, governmentality, and the politics of analogy.” AAG Annual Meeting, Los Angeles. April 2013.

Marshall, D.J. “‘Allah has ordered you not to give advantage to boys over girls’”: Gender differentiation and spatial equality in Palestinian childhood.” Third International Conference on Geographies of Children, Young People and Families, Singapore. July 2012.

Marshall, D.J. “‘We have a place to play, but someone else controls it’: Gendered spaces, shamed bodies, and childhood mobility in Balata Refugee Camp.” Third International Conference on Geographies of Children, Young People and Families, Singapore. July 2012.

Marshall, D.J. “‘Don't ask me why, it's just beautiful, ok?’: Palestinian refugee children and the politics of representation and non-representation.” AAG Annual meeting, New York. February 2012.

Marshall, D.J. The Nature of a Global City: Segregation and Sanitation in the City of Dubai. AAG Annual Meeting, Las Vegas. March 2012.                  

Marshall, D.J. Palestine Representin’: Cultural Imperialism and Counter-Hegemony in Palestinian Hip Hop. Middle East Studies Association Annual Meeting, Montreal. November 2007.

Marshall, D.J. Keepin’ it Real or Frontin’?: Issues of Authenticity in Palestinian Hip Hop. Middle Eastern and North African Graduate Student Forum, University of Arizona.    March 2007.      

Marshall, D.J. Boom or Bust?: Economic Restructuring in Jordan. Middle Eastern and North African Graduate Student Forum, University of Arizona, University of Arizona. April 2006.

 

Service Activities

SERVICE TO GEOGRAPHY

Member of the Geography of Religions and Belief Systems advisory board

Member of the Southeastern Geographer Editorial Board

Awards

2011     Presidential Fellowship, University of Kentucky

2010     Dissertation Enhancement Award, University of Kentucky