Alireza Doostdar

Alireza Doostdar is an Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and the Anthropology of Religion at the University of Chicago Divinity School. His research focuses on religious reason, science, and state interactions, with a specialization in Shi‘i Islam and its global contexts. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and has conducted extensive ethnographic work in Iran.

His book The Iranian Metaphysicals (2018) won the Albert Hourani Book Award and Vinson Sutlive Prize. Current projects include documenting Scholasticide in Gaza and co-hosting the Gaming Islam video series. Doostdar’s work bridges anthropology, religious studies, and political theory, addressing topics like occult practices, media representation, and academic solidarity.

Key awards include the 2018 MESA Hourani Award and 2020 William & Mary Sutlive Prize. His research spans Islamic theology, cultural studies, and contemporary socio-political movements, often emphasizing marginalized voices and systemic violence.