Negar Katirai Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Study Domestic Violence Fatality Reviews in Australia

University of Arizona Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Domestic Violence Law Clinic Negar Katirai has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for the 2021-22 academic year.  

Professor Katirai will conduct a comparative study in Australia of domestic violence fatality reviews. Fatality reviews involve the analysis of homicides and other deaths related to domestic violence by a team of professionals and community members for the purpose of making recommendations for interventions to prevent future fatalities. Katirai will conduct her research while hosted by the University of Technology Sydney.

“I chose Australia for this comparative study because of its relatively coordinated and centralized approach as well as its approach to victim confidentiality, both of which differ from that of the United States,” said Katirai.  

The research will allow professionals in Australia and the United States, who already take into account fatality risks, to consider different approaches to both institutionalizing fatality review teams and victim confidentiality.    

“My hope is that this research inspires greater collaboration and coordination between teams in both Australia and the United States, perhaps leading to legislation at the state or federal level in the United States,” said Katirai. “In addition to scholarly articles, I also intend to publish pieces intended for a lay audience, and in doing so raise awareness of the importance of fatality reviews as well as the impact of domestic violence in general, further garnering impetus for positive change in both countries.” 

As director of the Domestic Violence Law Clinic, Katirai supervises law students in providing legal representation to survivors of intimate partner violence. She also teaches Family Law, a Domestic Violence Seminar, and often guest lectures in other courses on related topics, including vicarious trauma, trauma-informed legal representation, and diversity and cultural competence.   

Katirai’s scholarship investigates questions that arise in the practice of family and intimate partner violence law and seeks to promote conversation and collaboration between practitioners and academics. Katirai has been recognized for her community contributions by the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona. 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the United States and partner countries around the world.  2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program. 

“I have admired the Fulbright program since my undergraduate studies, when I first learned of its mission to foster good will between the United States and other nations,” said Katirai. “As an Iranian-American, I developed an early appreciation of the power of cultural exchange to increase acceptance, understanding and kindness between people from different places and experiences. In short, the Fulbright has been an aspiration of mine for some time, and I am incredibly honored to have been selected.”