Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor

Professor Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor is a feminist sociologist of religion at Coventry University, UK, holding the Professor in the Sociology of Islam position at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations. She chairs the British Islam Research Network (2020-2025) and edits the Review of Social and Scientific Study of Religion.

• PhD from University of Gloucestershire (2010)
• Former Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Derby
• Specializes in collaborative methodologies with marginalized communities

Research Interests: Focuses on British Islam, Islamic feminism, digital religion, and decolonizing approaches. Her work examines power dynamics in knowledge production and amplifies voices of Muslim women, care-experienced children, and interfaith initiatives.

• Principal Investigator for AHRC-funded Islam on Campus (2015-2020)
• Current projects: Black Social Workers’ Oral History, Digital British Islam, and Safe Spaces for Black Children
• £2.9 million in funding from AHRC, ESRC, British Academy, and others

Scientific Awards:

• Outstanding Supervisory Team (2020)

Supervision: Has guided 9 PhD completions on topics spanning Islamic education, interfaith performance, and trauma studies.