Growing up in Saida, a coastal city in Lebanon, Houda Houbeish always found joy in literature and writing.
It led her to journalism, then non-profit communications and eventually back to higher education, where she hit a sweet spot – the ability to combine her biggest interests.
Now pursuing her PhD in media studies at Western, Houbeish said the unique program in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies allows her to critically analyze current events while integrating her passions.
“I thought of myself as a poet when I was a child. I was very much into literature and from the very beginning of my adolescence I knew that I wanted to go into the humanities field,” she said.
Joining the PhD program at Western was a special milestone for Houbeish.
“Holding a PhD is something I always wanted as a child. Doing a PhD overseas broadened my perspectives and knowledge. I’m very glad that I had the opportunity to come to Canada as a student.” – Houda Houbeish, PhD candidate in media studies
Houbeish uses her communications and journalism background as the basis of her media studies research. She describes her research interests “at the intersection of journalism, feminist ethics and humanitarian communications.”
She is currently exploring and analyzing the impact of crisis reporting on journalists, informed by ongoing interviews with eight Lebanese reporters. Her goal is to show the real, human aspect of being a journalist, especially when living and working in a crisis.
The academic journey
It was Houbeish’s love for writing that inspired her to complete an undergraduate degree in communication arts with a focus in journalism. She attended the Lebanese American University, one of the top institutions in Lebanon, where she received a scholarship to continue her studies. The funds helped her overcome the financial barrier experienced by many due to the primarily privatized nature of post-secondary education in Lebanon.
The early stages of her post-secondary experience were intimidating.
“You have to be courageous and know a lot about anything and everything, which I found very overwhelming.”
She fell in love with journalism during her first internship. Though Houbeish felt at home in the field, her passion for academia also called to her. In her final year of her undergrad, she decided she would next pursue a master of arts in media studies at the American University of Beirut. She graduated in 2018.
Houbeish was working as a communications officer at a non-profit organization in Beirut, Lebanon, when she came across Western’s media studies PhD program offered in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies.
She saw it as another perfect opportunity to blend journalism and academia. Upon her acceptance into the program, Houbeish was offered a Graduate Research Scholarship to help fund her doctoral studies as an international student in Canada.
The sense of solidarity, collegiality and social and academic support in FIMS inspired Houbeish to reach her full academic potential. She appreciates the interdisciplinary environment and diverse range of fellows, lecturers and guest speakers who foster rich conversations, she said.
“There is always someone who listens, helps and provides advice at FIMS.”
