Dr. Helal Hossain Dhali :: Faculty Profile

Biography

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Dr. Helal Hossain Dhali is a deeply committed educator, author, and social science researcher whose extensive body of work illuminates themes of equity, diversity, and social justice for marginalized populations at global, regional, and local levels. He serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka. Having successfully completed a prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), he continues to enrich North American higher education as a part-time university faculty member. He teaches in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education at McGill University and across both the School of Education and the Department of Sociology at Bishop's University in Canada.

Dr. Dhali’s research and teaching paradigms are deeply centered on amplifying the experiences of less-heard, heavily exploited, and systemically marginalized peoples. He dedicates his scholarship to individuals who are vulnerable to, or have become victims of, violence, structural conflicts, and political or religious extremism. His academic inquiry primarily investigates the intersectional suffering of populations marginalized by their ethnic-racial backgrounds, gender identities, socio-economic classes, religious beliefs, ideo-political alignments, and geographical locations.

Core Academic & Research Expertise

Indigenous Language & Minority Rights: Investigating structural barriers facing indigenous communities, recently advancing the field through a published journal article focused specifically on the preservation and institutional rights of indigenous languages.
Coloniality & Decoloniality: Critically analyzing historical and ongoing colonial frameworks in institutional systems while constructing modern, localized decolonial alternatives.
Extremism & Radicalization: Mapping how state and non-state entities exhibit extremist traits, a milestone prominently detailed in his Routledge research monograph, “The Role of Coloniality, Decoloniality, and Education in Shaping Perspectives on Extremism: Exploring Perceptions among Students in Bangladesh”.
Gender, Intersectionality, & Identity: Exploring the socio-ecological structures, identity politics, and gendered realities that impact vulnerable populations.
Social Justice Education: Conceptualizing and developing practical frameworks for safe spaces, anti-discrimination pedagogy, and educational equity.
Sustainable Development & Environment: Intersecting global decent work initiatives and environmental protections with long-term sustainable development goals.

Dr. Dhali holds a Ph.D. in Educational Studies from McGill University, an MA in Development Studies from Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and a Certificate in Gender and Development from the Asian Institute of Technology. Known for his accommodative and collaborative nature, he operates with equal excellence as an independent primary investigator or as a cohesive contributor within multi-disciplinary, international research teams.

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Degree Name	Group/Major Subject	Board/Institute	Country	Passing Year
Post Doc	Extremism, Education, and Indigenization/Decolonization of Education	The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)	Canada	2026
Ph.D.	Educational Studies	McGill University	Canada	2022
Masters	Development Studies	ISS, Erasmus University	Netherlands	2009
Post Graduate Diploma	Certificate of Participation (CoP) in Gender and Development Studies	Asian Institute of Technology	Thailand	2007
Masters	Social Sciences - Women and Gender Studies	Dhaka University	Bangladesh	2007
Bachelor	Social Sciences - Women and Gender Studies	Dhaka University	Bangladesh	2006
H.S.C	Humanities	Dhaka/Dhaka College	Bangladesh	2000
S.S.C	Science	Dhaka/Batikamari High School, Gopalganj	Bangladesh	1998

Title	Organization	Location	From Date	To Date
Contract faculty	Bishop's University	Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada	Sep 2023	Dec 2025
Part-time Faculty (Course Lecturer)	Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), McGill University	Montreal, Canada	Sep 2018	Present
Teaching Assistant	Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), McGill University	Montreal, Canada	Jan 2018	Apr 2019
Graduate Research Assistant	Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), McGill University	Montreal, Canada	Sep 2017	Aug 2019
Consultant and team Leader	Swisscontact Bangladesh	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Dec 2016	Apr 2017
Team Leader	Plan International and DWGS	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Dec 2015	Aug 2016
Consultant and Trainer	Sustainability Agents GmbH, Berlin, Germany	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Aug 2013	Jun 2017
Lead Researcher	ActionAid and DWGS	Dhaka, Bangladesh	May 2013	Jul 2013
Lead Researcher	WHO-MoHFW and DWGS	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Feb 2013	Jul 2013
Assistant Professor	Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Jan 2013	Present
Guest Faculty	Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Jul 2012	Feb 2013
Guest Faculty	Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh	Dhaka, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh	May 2012	Aug 2012
Guest Faculty	BRAC Development Institute (BDI), BRAC University	Dhaka, Bangladesh	May 2011	Oct 2011
Researcher	USAID and DWGS	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Feb 2011	Dec 2011
Lecturer	Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Jul 2010	Jan 2013
Research Associate	Development Research Network (D.Net)	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Mar 2010	Jul 2010
Research Assistant	BRAC Development Institute	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Mar 2008	Aug 2008

Research Interest

Subject	Description	Research Interest (Goal, Target Indicator)
Coloniality/Decoloniality, Education, Extremist Subjectivity, and Gender at the intersectionality of several social categories	I am interested in exploring how an individual identity/subjectivity is formed. I am particularly concerned about the role of various surrounding institutions, such as informal, non-formal and formal education, including curriculum, pedagogy and learning environment, in forming an identity. The construction of a subjective identity can follow multiple aspects, including caste, class, gender, race, religion, sexuality etc. I am particularly interested in learning the connection of education with the construction of extremist subjectivities, including but not limited to gender-specific identities in postcolonial countries like Bangladesh.
Environmental management, Indigenous people and Gender	I am interested in exploring some problems in environmental policies and programs implemented by several state/non-state actors. Many of the policies/programs not only violate the rights of indigenous people but also influence their gender relations. Moreover, I intend to learn how some environmental policies are often contradictory to some goals of Sustainable Development.
Safer spaces, Gender and Sustainable Development	I am concerned about if women feel safe in their homes, workplaces, streets, playgrounds, and social media in Bangladesh. I have conducted several studies on safer urban spaces for girls in Bangladesh. I was also involved in consultancy and campaigns for a clean, safe and women-friendly environment in the country.
Decent work, Manufacturing industries and Women's empowerment	I am interested in exploring if the participation of women in manufacturing industries in Bangladesh has empowered them. In doing so, I am curious to investigate their workplaces' environment, labour rights, and Occupational Health and Safety (OSH).

Project/Research Supervision

Level of Study	Title	Supervisor	Name of Student(s)	Area of Research	Current Completion
Masters	Creating Alternative Pathways to Ensure Feminist Agenda: A Study of Contemporary Feminist Movements and Organizations in the post NGOized Bangladesh	Helal Hossain Dhali	Shamsad Navia Novelly	NGOized Feminist Movement in Bangladesh	2023
Masters	Water Insecurity and their Health Consequences: Experience of Women in Coastal Area of Satkhira district in Bangladesh	Helal Hossain Dhali	G.M. Arifuzzaman	Water insecurity and women	2015
Masters	Women, technology and solar energy: Changing pattern of role and responsibilities of women in a village of Mymensingh district	Helal Hossain Dhali	Rukshana Parvin	Technology and women	2014
Masters	When Patriarchy Enslaves it’s Masters: a Study on Young Men of Dhaka City	Helal Hossain Dhali	Tahnee Yeasmin	Patriarchy, young men and masculinity	2013
Masters	Socio-Cultural impact of Cyclone Mahasen on women in Patuakhali, Bangladesh	Helal Hossain Dhali	Toma Dey	Natural Disaster and Women	2012
Masters	Under the rainbow: Beauty contest, stereotypic feminine performance and commercializing beauty and sexuality	Helal Hossain Dhali	Farhana Haque Ovi	Commercialization and Streotyped Femininity	2012
Masters	Women's Survival against River Erosion: A Case Study from Char Manair in Faridpur, Bangladesh	Helal Hossain Dhali	Hasna Hena Shawaly	River Erosion and Women's Survival	2011
Masters	Water scarcity and slum women’s challenges and coping strategies: Case study from Dhaka City, in Bangladesh	Helal Hossain Dhali	Nasrin Sultana	Water scarcity and women's challenges	2011
Masters	‘Environmental Degradation, Internal Migration and the Insecurity of Women: Case from Slum Women in Dhaka City’	Helal Hossain Dhali	Tamima Sultana	Gender and Environment	2011

Project/Research Work

Subject	Project Name	Source of Fund	From Date	To Date	Collaboration
Gender and Terrorism	Educational Trajectories of Radicalized Females in Montreal	Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security, and Society (TSAS), Montreal, Canada	06-09-2017	31-10-2017	Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), McGill University & TSAS
Education and Extremism	Countering Violent Extremism through Education in Multicultural Canada	Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canada	05-09-2017	31-08-2019	Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), McGill University & SSHRC
Empowerment	Impact Assessment of M4C’s Handicrafts Interventions	Swisscontact, Bangladesh	01-12-2016	30-04-2017	Individual
Safer Urban spaces	Safer Urban Space for Young Girls in Slums’ under the project "Because I am a Girl" (BIAAG)	Plan International Bangladesh	01-06-2015	31-08-2016	Department of Women and Gender Studies and Plan International Bangladesh
Safecity for Women	Developing a safe city for women through exploring programme and policy intervention	ActionAid, Bangladesh	15-05-2013	31-07-2013	Department of Women and Gender Studies and ActionAid, Bangladesh
Gender and Health Information System	Assessing Violence Against Women (VAW) Victims Health Care Need Assessment and Engendering HIS Data Sources	World Health Organization and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh	01-02-2013	31-07-2013	Department of Women and Gender Studies (DWGS), Dhaka University, World Health Organization (WHO) & Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Bangladesh
Forest management and Gender	Co-management model of forest management in Bangladesh and its Gendered effects: A case from Lawachara protected forest, Maulavibazar, Sylhet in Bangladesh	USAID, Bangladesh	01-02-2011	31-12-2011	Individual
State Policy, Gender and Sustainable Development	Sustainable Development, State Policy, and Gender: Examining the effect of the forest policy on gender relation of indigenous people in CHT, Bangladesh	ISS-DWGS	01-09-2008	15-12-2009	Masters Thesis (ISS, Netherlands)
Forest Policies and Indigenous Women	Forest Policies and programs of Bangladesh and their impacts on indigenous women in Chittagong Hill Tracts,	UNFPA	01-01-2007	31-12-2007	Masters Thesis (Dhaka University, Bangladesh)
Deforestation and Indigenous Women	The impact of deforestation of Indigenous women in Bangladesh: A case from CHT	DWGS	01-01-2006	31-12-2006	BSS Monograph (Dhaka University, Bangladesh

Invited Talk

SL	Collaboration & Membership Name	Membership Year
1	Grievance Committee, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporations (BCIC), Bangladesh	2011
2	Asiatic Society of Bangladesh	2013
3	Canadian Committee of Graduate Students in Education	2019
4	Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)	2018
5	Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE)	2019
6	Comparative and International Education Society (CIES)	2017
7	Canadian Association for the Study of Women and Education (CASWE)	2019
8	Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security, and Society (TSAS)	2017
9	Center for Studies and Research on India, South Asia and its Diaspora (CERIAS)	2019

Book
1	Dhali H.H. Sustainable Development, State Policy and Gender: Examining the effect of forest policy of Bangladesh on gender relations of Indigenous People in CHT. Germany: LAP, 2010 .

Book Section
1	Meihimuti, D., Dhali, H.H. and Ghosh, R. "The Compassionate Educator: Understanding Social Issues in Canadian Schools." The radicalization of youth in the west. Jule, A. (Ed.) Toronto: CSP Books Inc., 2019 229-250 .
2	Afifa, A. and Dhali H.H. "Environment, Migration and Adaptation. Evidence and Politics of Climate Change in Bangladesh." Environment, Migration and Adaptation. Evidence and Politics of Climate Change in Bangladesh. B. Mallick & B. Etzold (Ed.) Dhaka: AHDPH, 2015 161-174 .

Journal Article
1	Janine Metallic and Helal Hossain Dhali : Bill 96 and Indigenous Language Sovereignty in Quebec: Refusal, Resurgence, and Multilingual Justice, Journal of Indigenous Social Development , vol.14 (1) , no.Special University of Calgary , pp.139-165 , 2026 . View More
2	Helal Hossain Dhali : The Potential of Quebec’s Ethics and Religious Culture (ERC) Program in Preventing Violent Extremism: Perceptions of Students and Teachers at McGill University and University of Quebec in Montreal, Religion & Education , vol.49 , no.2 , pp.192-211. , 2022 .
3	Dhali H.H. : Remaking of women in Bangladesh: Central to the projection of modernity through questing national identity, ensuring economic development, and gaining legitimacy, The Arts Faculty Journal , vol.2017 , no.8,9,10 , 2016 .
4	Dhali, H.H., Kabir, A.H. and Haque, T. : Perceiving 'Gender' in higher education: A critical experience from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Social Science Review , vol.33 , no.1 , pp.65-78 , 2016 . View More
5	Dhali H.H. : The Nexus between Economic Growth and Gender Inequality: Case Studies from China, East Asia, Mexico and Latin America., Social Science Review , vol.32 , no.2 , pp.187-194 , 2015 . View More
6	Mahtab, N., Dhali, H.H. and Islam, M. : Understanding a safe city for women through exploring programme and policy intervention, Social Science Review , vol.31 , no.2 , pp.13-30. , 2014 . View More
7	Dhali, H.H., Akter, S. and Haque, T. : Towards a safe city for women: Case studies from seven districts in Bangladesh, Social Science Review , vol.30 , no.2 , pp.239-254 , 2013 . View More
8	Dhali H.H. : Co-management model of forest management in Bangladesh and its Gendered effects: A case from Lawachara protected forest, Maulavibazar, Sylhet in Bangladesh, Social Science Review , vol.29 , no.2 , pp.139-163 , 2012 .
9	Dhali, H.H. and Kabir, A.H. : The Politics of Forest Policies and The Alienation of Khyang Women in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, Social Science Review , vol.28 , no.2 , pp.63-76 , 2011 . View More
10	Afrose, T. and Dhali H.H. : Paribarik Sidhanto Grahone Karmojibi O Grihini Narir Parthakya: Prekhkhit Bangladesh, Shamajik Bigyan Patrika , vol.5 , no.5 , 2011 .
11	Dhali H.H. : ‘Statization’ of forests and its effect on indigenous women in Bangladesh: A case from Kukkachhari village in Rangamati, Social Science Review , vol.28 , no.2 , pp.175-195 , 2010 . View More
12	Dhali H.H. : Deforestation and its Impacts on Indigenous Women: A Case from the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh, Gender, Technology, and Development , vol.12 , no.2 , pp.229-246 , 2008 . View More
13	Ghosh, R., Tiflati, H., Dhali, H.H., Maihemuti, D. and Chan, A. : Social-Ecological Portrait of Two Females from Montreal who joined ISIS, Contemporary Voices: St Andrews Journal of International Relations , 2022 .

Conference Proceedings
1	Dhali H.H. "Beyond Islamist Terrorism: Paradoxes in the State of Extremism and Counter-extremist Measures in Bangladesh." SSSR Annual Meeting 2019 St. Louis, Missouri, USA: Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2019 . View More
2	Dhali H.H. "Toward a theoretical framework in understanding the gender differences in the youth perception of extremism in the developing countries,." CIES Annual Conference 2019 , pp. 172. San Francisco: Comparative & International Education Society, 2019 . View More
3	Dhali H.H. "Religion as a tool of exercising state power: Making and remaking of ‘women’ in Bangladesh." SSSR 2018 , pp. 30. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2018 . View More
4	Dhali H.H. "Rhetoric and Realities: Countering Religious Extremism through Education in Bangladesh." CIES Annual Conference 2018 , pp. 138. Mexico City, Mexico: Comparative & International Education, 2018 . View More
5	Dhali H.H. "Gender' in higher education: A critical experience from the University of Dhaka." International Summit on Sustainable Development 2014 .
6	Dhali H.H. "Gender Effects’ of ‘Statization’ of communal forests on indigenous people in Bangladesh: A case from Kukkachhari village in Rangamati." CERES Summer School Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 2009 .

Award Type	Title	Year	Country	Description
International	CANSES Post-doctoral Grant	2024	Canada	Helal has received this grant from a larger project titled the Canadian Network on Security, Extremism, and Society (CANSES), funded by Public Safety Canada. He has been allocated some funding from this project to conduct his postdoctoral research at the Department of Psychology at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). His postdoctoral research aims to explore perceptions of Right-Wing Extremism (RWE) among diaspora communities in Canada. This research intends to investigate diaspora people’s knowledge of, views on, and experience with its rise in the West and determine the potential of some decolonial approaches to education in minimizing the threat of RWE.
International	SSSR Conference Travel Grant	2021	United States	Helal was awarded this grant to attend a conference organized by the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) held in Portland, Oregon, in October 2021.
International	International Student Excellence in Research Awards, DISE, Faculty of Education, McGill University (Second position)	2019	Canada	This award is given to International graduate students based on their academic performance, such as results, research, and publications.
International	FRQSC Doctoral Fellowship (First position)	2019	Canada	This prestigious provincial government post-graduate fellowship is offered by Fonds de recherche Société et culture (FRQSC), Quebec. Helal has been awarded this fellowship to pursue his Doctoral studies at McGill University, Canada!
International	GREAT Award (McGill Graduate Research Enhancement and Travel Grant), McGill University	2018	Canada	This award is offered to support graduate students' travel and research dissemination across the University. It covers the dissemination of research through graduate students' presentations at conferences. Helal has been offered this award to present a paper at the SSSR conference in Las Vegas, USA, in 2018.
International	Graduate Mobility Award, Graduate and Postgraduate Studies, McGill University	2018	Canada	The Graduate Mobility Award encourages graduate students to study and conduct research abroad as part of their McGill degree program. The award, funded by the Government of Quebec, is available to all full-time thesis students enrolled in a graduate degree program at McGill. A limited number of Awards are available each year on a competitive basis. Helal has been offered this award to conduct fieldwork for his doctoral research in Bangladesh.
International	Jackie Kirk Fellowship, Faculty of Education, McGill University	2018	Canada	This fellowship is awarded to outstanding graduate students in the Faculty of Education, with a preference for students whose research focuses on any one or a combination of the following: post-conflict education in developing countries, women teachers, and girlhood studies. This faculty-level endowment is awarded annually and is non-renewable. Helal has been awarded this fellowship as a Doctoral student based on his academic performance.
International	Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP)	2017	Netherlands	This award was given to participants for attending a refresher course organized by the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), The Netherlands. The Certificate course was held in Yangon, Myanmar.
International	Ruth Hoyt Cameron Fellowship for PhD studies, McGill University	2017	Canada	This award is given to students to acknowledge their academic merit. Helal was offered this award in 2017 for his Doctoral studies.
International	Entrance Award	2017	Canada	This award is given to students to acknowledge their academic merit. Helal was offered this award in 2017 for his Doctoral studies.
International	Graduate Excellence Award, DISE, Faculty of education, McGill University	2017	Canada	This is a performance-based award offered by the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) at McGill University, Canada. Helal was offered this award several times from 2017 to 2022 for his exemplary academic records!
National	USAID Research Grant	2011	Bangladesh	This grant was given to young researchers focusing on gender and the environment in Bangladesh. Helal was awarded this grant to conduct a study on the effect of Collaborative Forest Management on Gender Relations in Bangladesh.
International	ISS-DWGS Graduate Fellowship by the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Bangladesh	2008	Netherlands	This fellowship was offered by the Royal Dutch Embassy- Dhaka in collaboration with the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka, Bangladeshin and ISS Netherlands. I was awarded this fellowship to pursue MA in Development Studies (Women ,Gender and Development) at the Institute of Social Studies(ISS), Erasmus University, The Netherlands.
International	ISS-DWGS Student Exchange Fellowship	2007	Netherlands	This fellowship was offered by the Royal Dutch Embassy- Dhaka in collaboration with the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka, Bangladeshin and ISS Netherlands. I was awarded this fellowship to complete a certificate exchange course in Gender and development (CGD) at SERD, AIT in Bangkok, Thailand.
National	UNFPA Fellowship Award	2006	Bangladesh	Helal received this Fellowship Award for his MSS thesis at the University of Dhaka.
National	Education Board Scholarship, Dhaka Education Board	2001	Bangladesh	The Education Board, Dhaka, offered this scholarship to acknowledge the HSC result.

Name & designation Dr. Helal Hossain Dhali Associate Professor

Department Department of Women and Gender Studies Faculty of Social Sciences

Email h.dhali@du.ac.bd

Phone +880-2-9661900/6771