Nayan Shah

Nayan Shah is a Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity and History at the University of Southern California since 2012. Previously, he held roles at the University of California San Diego (2000–2012) and SUNY Binghamton (1995–2000). He earned a Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago (1995) and a B.A. in History, Economics, and Religion from Swarthmore College (1988).

His research focuses on race, migration, public health, and social justice. Key areas include histories of South Asian migrants, prison hunger strikes, and transnational spiritual communities. Major works include Contagious Divides (2001), Stranger Intimacy (2011), and Refusal to Eat (2022). His writing bridges legal, medical, and gender studies to challenge state power and colonial legacies.

• Research Highlights:
• Global prison hunger strike history
• Asian American health governance
• Interracial spiritual communities in early 20th-century U.S.

Shah has received prestigious awards including the Norris Hundley Award and Humboldt Fellowship. He advises graduate students in Asian American Studies and gender studies, with advisees at institutions like UCLA and Smith College. He formerly co-edited GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies.