Samia Bano

Samia Bano is a Reader in Law and External Engagement Lead at the School of Law, Gender and Media at SOAS University of London. She holds a PhD from the University of Warwick and has previously served as Deputy Director of Research at the University of Reading’s School of Law. Her academic focus centers on Muslim family law in the UK and Europe, multiculturalism, citizenship, Islamic jurisprudence, and gender equality. She teaches courses on family law, multiculturalism, and research methods, and has led initiatives on admissions, inclusivity, and widening participation in higher education. Her research emphasizes the intersection of Muslim legal practices and state law, advocating for policies rooted in the lived realities of marginalized communities.

Dr. Bano’s work has been widely recognized, including through extensive media coverage and invitations to speak at conferences. She is an editorial board member of Feminist Legal Studies and Mediation, Theory and Practice, and is completing a monograph on cultural expertise in English family law. She actively advises on social policy projects and supervises doctoral students exploring family law, comparative law, and critical legal theories.