Janet Afary

Janet Afary is a historian of modern Iran and holds the Mellichamp Chair in Global Religion and Modernity at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is a Professor of Religious Studies and Feminist Studies, with affiliations spanning academic leadership roles including former presidencies at the International Society for Iranian Studies and the Association for Middle East Women’s Studies. Her research focuses on Iranian history (19th–20th centuries), Middle Eastern gender and sexuality studies, constitutionalism, global feminism, and the intersection of religion and politics.

• Education: PhD in History and Near East Studies (University of Michigan, 1991); MA in Linguistics (Tehran University)
• Key Awards: Latifeh Yarshater Award, Dehkhoda Award, Keddie-Balzan Fellowship (UCLA), Rackham Distinguished Dissertation Award

Her work critiques patriarchal structures and examines grassroots social movements, particularly women’s roles in revolutions and constitutional reforms. Notable publications include *Sexual Politics in Modern Iran* (2009) and *Foucault and the Iranian Revolution* (2005), which won the Latifeh Yarshater Award. Recent research explores digital-age transformations in Iranian romance and the global resonance of feminist movements.

Articles frequently analyze contemporary issues like informal unions in MENASA, digital activism, and the 2019-2023 Iranian protests. She advocates for human rights and has engaged in public scholarship through *The Guardian* and *The Nation*. Her work bridges academic rigor with activism, emphasizing marginalized voices in Middle Eastern history.