BZU celebrates the opening of Naseer Aruri lab for community psychology program

Birzeit University celebrated the opening of Naseer Aruri Lab for Community Psychology program, which was established with a generous donation from Aruri before he passed away in 2015. The opening was convened on the occasion of the visit of Aruri’s wife Mrs. Joyce Aruri, her sons Fares and Jamal Aruri, and her granddaughter Leila. 

Naseer Aruri was a Palestinian American scholar and advocate for Palestinian rights in the United States. Aruri was a leading voice in the field of human rights and an expert on US foreign policy in the Middle East, especially in relation to Palestine. Aruri was called the “Voice of Palestine in the USA.”

The idea of establishing the lab was put together by Birzeit University Professor of Sociology and Behavioral Science Laura Khoury. She implemented it with the help of the former thinker and leader Tayseer Arouri.

Commenting on the inauguration of the lab, Khoury emphasized the importance of having a space for students to carry out cognitive and community psychological research and investigations using sophisticated means. Aruri, according to Khoury, was always involved and passionate about the needs of the community, and dedicated himself to the support of human rights, especially Palestinians who deserve to have the opportunity to produce knowledge in cutting- edge areas like Sociology, Political Science and Community Psychology.

During the visit of Aruri’s family, Birzeit University also celebrated the establishment of the Aruri-Kazimi scholarship fund to support the education of university's students - that started with the donation of Aruri fund to the lab. The current chair of the Department of Sociology and Behavioral Science Bader Araj,  the upcoming Chair Sama Duwani, Professor khoury and the students who benefitted from this fund attended this celebration.