Kimberly Wortmann

Dr. Kimberly Wortmann is an Assistant Professor in the Department for the Study of Religions at Wake Forest University. She holds affiliate faculty roles in African Studies (AFS) and Middle East and South Asia Studies (MESA) programs. Her research focuses on transregional networks between East Africa and the Persian Gulf, particularly Ibadi Muslim communities in Zanzibar and Oman. She holds a PhD in The Study of Religion (Harvard, 2018), MA in Islamic Studies and African Religions (Harvard Divinity School, 2011), and BA in Religious Studies (Macalester College, 2007).

• Education Highlights:
• PhD in The Study of Religion, Harvard University, 2018
• MA in Islamic Studies & African Religions, Harvard Divinity School, 2011
• BA in Religious Studies, Macalester College, 2007

Her research explores Islamic schools and charities in Zanzibar and Oman, emphasizing knowledge exchange and minority religious identities. She has conducted fieldwork in Uganda, Yemen, and Kenya, leveraging Swahili and Arabic language skills. Her work has been supported by grants from Fulbright, the Weatherhead Center, and Harvard’s Sheldon Traveling Fellowship.

Key research themes include Ibadi Muslim transnationalism, transregional religious networks, and the role of education in preserving cultural legacies. Her publications analyze religious identity formation, historical built environments, and contemporary socio-political dynamics in East Africa.