Adeline Biba, Visa Scholar in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies

Hi. I am Adeline Biba. Welcome to #ISSOstories.

Which Columbia program/department are you in?

I am at Columbia University as a Visiting Scholar in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS).

Watch ISSO's #ISSOstories interview with Adeline.

Transcript

Hi. I am Adeline Biba. I am at Columbia University as a Visiting Scholar. Welcome to #ISSOstories. My research focuses on literature and linguistics. I study how language, and culture connect and build bridges between Eastern and Western traditions. I aim to show how this, connection help us better understanding diversity. I work about my authors was here and in my country, France. Tayeb Salih and Tah Husain and also I discover here Frantz Fanon, he is the French author, but I discover it here. It's very important for me, to bring, what I learned here in my country. I love the diversity because I love New York because, we can find this diversity. And the New York has a special energy. Where everyone has a place and to feel at home. You can do anything, I think, if you want. And you can just have the enthusiasm. I think this enthusiasm, I-I found it here. I meet a lot of people here at Columbia, amazing person, people for me. If you are in your home, you just want to meet the person, you come here and you meet people. And you will. You work, and you just speak with people and it's amazing. Yeah. I like to music. This is my good passion. I was lucky enough to sing at Columbia in MPP and music and ensemble music. And I studied piano at Juilliard. For me, music is a way to connect with others and balance my academic work. Thank you so much for giving me this occasion for expressing my gratitude for this journey and my work here at Columbia. For me, it's unique. This experience was very, very unique.

Tell us about your past research or current projects at Columbia.

My research focuses on literature and linguistics. I study how language and culture connect and build bridges between Eastern and Western traditions. I aim to show how this connection helps us better understand diversity. My work is also about authors – some here and in my country, France. Others I discovered here, like Frantz Fanon, who happens to be a French author. It's very important for me to bring what I learned here to my country.

What has been your experience moving to NYC?

I love diversity. I love New York because we can find this diversity. New York has a special energy where everyone has a place to feel at home. You can do anything, I think, if you want. You just need to have the enthusiasm which I found here. I met a lot of great people here at Columbia – amazing ones in fact. If you are in your home and you want to meet people, come out and you will. Just speak with others – it's amazing.

New York has a special energy where everyone has a place and to feel at home.

What do you like to do outside of Columbia? Any hobbies? Interests?

I like music -- it is my passion. I was lucky enough to sing at Columbia in MPP and music and ensemble music. Also, I studied piano at Juilliard. For me, music is a way to connect with others and balance my academic work.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you so much for giving me this occasion for expressing my gratitude for this journey and my work here at Columbia. For me, it's unique – this experience is very, very unique.

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