Nefret El-Masry

Biography

Nefret El-Masry is a Research Associate at MEA Institute of Strategic Studies. Her research examines how digital and urban spaces are constructed and governed, and how these dynamics shape individual and collective rights and civic life across North Africa and West Asia. 
 
Nefret El-Masry is a researcher and project manager working at the intersection of advocacy, education, and culture, with a focus on supporting strong communities through critical and anti-imperialist approaches. As a Research Associate at the MEA Institute of Strategic Studies, her research examines how digital and urban spaces are constructed and governed, and how these dynamics shape individual and collective rights and civic life across North Africa and West Asia. 
 
Nefret holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Leiden University, where she specialised in culture and politics, and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia. Her research and project work have focused on themes including post-war reconstruction, urban justice, digital censorship, and alternative futures for the Mediterranean region. In addition to her research, Nefret has managed cultural and educational initiatives across the MENA region, including media archiving projects in Sudan, support for short films and film festivals in Sudan and Egypt, and cultural initiatives supporting artists and cultural production in Yemen.