“To be or not to be, this is the question?” Or is it, I ask? So, who is Aliana? I am an American Muslim woman, a philosophy graduate student. I am Pakistani by descent but was raised on and off in America and Pakistan. Many people think that should make me “confused” but to me this has put me at an advantage, it allows me look at the world from different perspectives.

My research lies at the intersection of Continental and Analytic Traditions in Western Philosophy. I see philosophy as a means, as a tool, as a discourse to emancipate humankind. I also dabble in Feminist Epistemologies occasionally, however I would not characterize myself as a deconstructionist. There is however much to be learned from Structuralism and Post-Structuralism. To desi men, and especially desi Muslim men, I just want to say, “Grow up!”