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Nurfadzilah Yahaya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Yale University. She specializes in Southeast Asian, Indian Ocean, and Islamic world histories with a focus on legal, environmental, and infrastructural themes. Currently on leave for academic year 2024-25, her work examines colonial legal systems, environmental engineering projects, and transnational networks. Education: BA (2003) and MA (2006) from National University of Singapore; PhD (2012) in History from Princeton University. Previously taught at National University of Singapore and held the Mark Steinberg Weil Early Career Fellowship in Islamic Studies (2012-2015). Research interests include colonial legal pluralism, environmental history of land reclamation, and intersection of Islamic law with imperial governance. Her book Fluid Jurisdictions (2020) analyzes how colonial subjects navigated multiple legal systems in 19th-century Southeast Asia. Current book project ' Overflow ' explores British Empire land reclamation projects in the 20th century. Publications appear in Journal of Women’s History , Law and History Review , and Muslim World . Co-edited special issues on Islamic law and colonialism, and waqf endowments. Awards include Indonesia and Malay World Young Scholar Prize (2015). Teaches courses on Southeast Asian history, Islamic world studies, legal history, colonialism, and infrastructure history at Yale.

• History of Southeast Asia
• History of Indian Ocean
• History of Islamic World
• +6 more

Jeremy Prestholdt is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of California, San Diego. His research focuses on African, Indian Ocean, and global histories, emphasizing consumer culture, political dissent, and identity politics. He is the author of Domesticating the World: African Consumerism and the Genealogies of Globalization (2008) and a forthcoming book, Icons of Dissent , analyzing figures like Che Guevara, Bob Marley, Tupac Shakur, and Osama bin Laden. His current projects explore Kenya’s coastal political culture and the transnational resonance of cultural icons. His academic accolades include fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Rockefeller Foundation, and Woodrow Wilson Foundation, among others. Prestholdt has held visiting positions at institutions such as the University of Bergen and University of Basel. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary issues, addressing topics like counterterrorism, postcolonial identity, and globalization's cultural dimensions. Teaching spans courses on Modern Africa, global history, and the politics of violence. His research underscores how consumer culture, transnational movements, and symbolic imagery shape political and social dynamics across regions and eras.

• African History
• Global History
• Indian Ocean Studies
• +5 more

Chitralekha Zutshi is a Professor of History at the College of William & Mary, specializing in Modern South Asia and the Indian Ocean World. She holds two endowed professorships and has received prestigious awards such as the 2014 Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence. Her research focuses on Islamicate identities, nationalism, and historical thought, with a particular emphasis on Kashmir's contested histories and political dynamics. She has authored multiple acclaimed books, including Sheikh Abdullah: The Caged Lion of Kashmir (2024) and edited volumes like Kashmir: History, Politics, Representation (2018). Her work challenges monolithic narratives of religious conflict, emphasizing the complexities of class, gender, and caste in Kashmir's socio-political landscape. Zutshi's academic contributions extend to teaching and program development. She founded the William & Mary study abroad program in Goa/Bengaluru and co-directed the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Program. Her courses include 'Indian Ocean Worlds,' 'War and Peace in Postcolonial South Asia,' and 'Kashmir: Past, Present, and Future.' Her scholarly articles have appeared in The Journal of Asian Studies , Modern Asian Studies , and Economic and Political Weekly . She also engages with public discourse through contributions to KashmirConnected and media outlets like India Today and W&M News . Awards: Plumeri Award (2014), NEH Fellowship (2005-2006), Kluge Fellowship (2008) Grants: Senior Research Fellowship (American Institute of Indian Studies, 2014-2015) Leadership: International Advisory Board member of South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies Zutshi’s research bridges academia and public engagement, addressing themes of historical memory, political agency, and the intersection of identity with colonial and postcolonial power structures.

• Modern South Asia
• Indian Ocean World
• Islamicate Identities
• +3 more

Erin Stiles, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno, specializes in the intersections of religion, law, and gender. Her ethnographic work in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, and Utah examines Islamic family law, legal pluralism, and Mormon spiritual experiences. Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis M.A., University of Colorado, Boulder A.B., Duke University Stiles' research explores: Islamic legal reasoning in marital disputes and inheritance law Gender dynamics in LDS fundamentalist and Irish Traveller communities Spirit-world encounters in Utah Mormonism Comparative legal practices across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Her recent publications focus on global Islamic divorce mechanisms, LDS spiritual ethics, and postcolonial legal adaptations in East Africa. She teaches courses ranging from introductory cultural anthropology to specialized topics in African studies and Islamic law. Stiles actively mentors graduate students working on: Healing practices among LDS fundamentalists Marriage customs in Irish Traveller communities Islam and migration in Japan LGBTQ+ affirming Protestant groups

• Anthropology of religion
• Anthropology of law and legal pluralism
• Islam
• +9 more

Ashli White serves as Professor and Chair of the History Department within the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Miami. Her academic leadership focuses on revolutionary Atlantic history with particular expertise in material culture studies. Her research centers on the material dimensions of revolutionary movements across the Atlantic World, examining how objects like ceramics, furniture, garments, maps, and political emblems transmitted revolutionary ideals. White's work reveals how enslaved and free populations, women and men, across social strata engaged with revolutionary politics through tangible objects. Her scholarship demonstrates how material culture served as a dynamic medium for expressing political convictions, contesting power structures, and negotiating revolutionary change during the American, French, and Haitian revolutions. White's publications reveal consistent thematic focus on the circulation of revolutionary objects and symbols throughout the Atlantic World. Her work demonstrates how material culture functioned as a critical vector for transmitting revolutionary ideals across geographic and social boundaries, with particular attention to the Haitian Revolution's transformative impact. The research shows a methodological commitment to interdisciplinary analysis connecting physical artifacts with political history. White actively contributes to academic discourse through book reviews in premier historical journals including The American Historical Review and The William and Mary Quarterly , engaging with scholarship on imperial history, Caribbean studies, and revolutionary movements. As department chair, she oversees historical research and pedagogy while maintaining an active scholarly profile. Her collaborative work on cartographic exhibitions demonstrates engagement with public history initiatives and interdisciplinary projects examining Caribbean representation.

• Revolutionary Material Culture
• Atlantic World History
• Haitian Revolution Studies
• +3 more

Priya Satia is the Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History and Professor of History at Stanford University. She specializes in modern British and British Empire history, with a focus on the cultural, material, and intellectual foundations of colonialism. Her work examines how imperial pasts shape contemporary global issues, including state secrecy, military technology, and development policies. Education: Ph.D., UC Berkeley (History, 2004) M.A., UC Berkeley (History, 2004) M.Sc., London School of Economics (Development Economics) B.A. and B.S., Stanford University (International Relations and Chemistry) Research Interests: Satia’s research bridges cultural, economic, and military history. She explores topics like the industrial revolution’s violent origins, the legacy of British air control in Iraq, and the historiography of empire. Her work emphasizes anticolonial perspectives and the ethical dimensions of historical narratives. Awards and Recognition: 2009 AHA-Herbert Baxter Adams Book Prize (Spies in Arabia) 2019 Wadsworth Prize in Business History (Empire of Guns) 2021 Bronze Prize in History (World) (Time’s Monster) Public Engagement: Satia contributes to public debates through op-eds in mainstream media (e.g., The New York Times, BBC) and commentaries on topics like drone warfare, gun control, and colonial legacies. She collaborates with the 1947 Partition Archive to document oral histories of partition. Current Projects: A new book on British colonialism in Punjab and its legacies, alongside explorations of historical agency and the role of poets in anticolonial movements.

• Modern British History
• British Empire Studies
• Cultural History
• +8 more

Dr. Shanaaz Mohammed is an Assistant Professor of French and French Program Coordinator at Marist College’s School of Liberal Arts. Originally from Trinidad, she specializes in Francophone Caribbean Studies with a focus on South Asian diaspora representations in literature. She integrates AI tools like ChatGPT to gamify and personalize language learning, emphasizing grammar through cultural context. Education: PhD, MA (Florida State University); BA (University of the West Indies, St. Augustine) Key Research: Coral poetics, Aapravasi Ghat heritage, Coolitude theory, and digital pedagogy Initiatives: Developed the Virtual Exchange Program (VExP) with Université de la Réunion for collaborative language instruction Her recent publications explore Khal Torabully’s poetry and Ernest Moutoussamy’s narratives. She advocates for ethical AI use in education, addressing algorithmic bias and cultural stereotyping, while promoting cautious optimism about technology’s role in enhancing human-centered language learning. Scientific Awards Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) Postcolonial Essay Award (2022) She teaches all levels of French language, literature, and culture courses, emphasizing the global diversity of the French-speaking world beyond France.

• Francophone Caribbean Literature
• South Asian Diaspora Studies
• AI in Language Education
• +2 more

Nile Green is the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he served as founding director of the UCLA Program on Central Asia (2008-2016). His research bridges global history and Islamic studies, focusing on Muslim networks across India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, and the Indian Ocean world. Specializes in inter-Asia and Indian Ocean studies Explores Sufism, Persian & Urdu travel writing, and Islamic print history Active on global Muslim interactions with non-Muslim societies His recent articles examine topics spanning Islamicate linguistics , transcultural art history , and historiographical methods , particularly in India, Afghanistan, and China. Earlier works established connections between colonial infrastructure and Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj), while his 2016 book The Love of Strangers documented early Middle Eastern students in Europe. Scientific awards include: Guggenheim Fellowship Luce/ACLS Fellow in Religion, Journalism & International Affairs Albert Hourani Book Award (MESA) Ananda K. Coomaraswamy Book Award (AAS) Bentley Book Prize (World History Association) Sir George Staunton Prize (Royal Asiatic Society)

• Global history
• Islam & Muslims in global history
• Inter-Asia
• +6 more

Marina Rustow is the Khedouri A. Zilkha Professor of Jewish Civilization in the Near East and Professor of History at Princeton University. She serves as Director of the Princeton Geniza Project , focusing on medieval Middle Eastern history through documentary sources, particularly the Cairo Geniza . Her work bridges Islamic law , Jewish history , and material culture . Education : BA in Literature, Yale College PhD in History, Columbia University (advisor: Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi) Her research explores how medieval Jewish communities in Egypt and Syria navigated state power, social cohesion, and religious identity. She has pioneered the study of Fatimid state documents preserved in the Geniza, challenging assumptions about premodern Islamic archival practices. Her books include The Lost Archive (2020) and Heresy and the Politics of Community (2008). Recent projects include editing and translating Indian Ocean trade documents from the Geniza (2024 NEH grant). Her publications span Islamic legal documents , geniza fragment analysis , and medieval Jewish-Muslim interactions . Scientific Awards : MacArthur Fellowship (2015) Guggenheim Fellowship (2014) Rome Prize (2006-7) NEH and ACLS grants She advises PhD students in medieval Middle Eastern and Jewish history , emphasizing collaborative learning in Princeton’s Geniza Lab. Her work also intersects with digital humanities and manuscript studies .

• Medieval History
• Jewish History
• Islamic Law
• +6 more

Elizabeth Lambourn is a Professor of Material Histories at De Montfort University, specializing in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural medieval history with a focus on the Indian Ocean world. She has held prestigious fellowships at Harvard, Stanford, and the Leverhulme Trust. In Fall 2025, she will be a Stewart Long-Term Visiting Fellow at Princeton University's Humanities Council and History Department, co-teaching a graduate seminar on trade and object circulation in the ancient and medieval Indian Ocean with Marina Rustow (Near Eastern Studies). Her research emphasizes material culture and global medieval networks, reflected in publications such as Abraham’s Luggage (2018) and edited volumes like Legal Encounters on the Medieval Globe (2017) and A Cultural History of the Sea in the Medieval Age (2021). Her work bridges maritime history, legal studies, and cultural analysis to explore how objects and ideas moved across premodern societies. Her honors include the Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship and the Stewart Visiting Fellowship. Lambourn’s current projects likely expand her focus on material networks and cross-cultural exchanges in medieval global contexts.

• Medieval History
• Indian Ocean Studies
• Cross-Cultural Studies
• +3 more

Usman Hamid is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University. He specializes in early modern South Asia, with a focus on Islamic devotional and cultural histories. His work examines the intersection of religious materiality, transregional connections, and the Mughal Empire's cultural dynamics. Previously, he taught at Hamilton College. BCom from McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management MA from McGill University’s Institute of Islamic Studies PhD from University of Toronto’s Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations His research explores how Indian Ocean networks shaped Muslim devotional aesthetics in Mughal-era South Asia, emphasizing material culture’s role in piety. Earlier work includes studies on Timurid Iran’s social history and Iranian migration to South Asia. His work has been supported by the SSHRC. Hamid collaborates with scholars like Pasha M. Khan, co-editing special sections in academic journals and co-authoring analyses on Persianate cultural exchange. Current projects trace the material and textual flows influencing Mughal-era religious practices.

• Early Modern South Asian History
• Islamic Studies
• Religious Materiality
• +4 more

Smriti Srinivas is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on urban cultures, religion, and South Asian studies, with a particular emphasis on Indian Ocean worlds. She holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., and M.A. in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics, and a B.A. in Economics from Madras Christian College. Her research has explored topics such as spirit possession in Himalayan borderlands, memory in Bangalore’s high-tech landscape, and transnational religious movements centered on Sai Baba. She has been supported by grants from the Mellon Foundation, Rockefeller Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, among others. Srinivas currently serves on the advisory board of the International Journal of Urban and Regional Studies and is Series Editor for the Routledge Series on the Indian Ocean. Her teaching spans undergraduate and graduate courses in cultural anthropology, urban studies, and comparative religions. Notable publications include Landscapes of Urban Memory (2001), In the Presence of Sai Baba (2008), and Reimagining Indian Ocean Worlds (2020). Awards include the 2020 Graduate Studies Distinguished Mentoring Award and the 2016 Social Sciences Dean’s Leadership Award.

• Urban Cultures
• Religion and Spirituality
• South Asian Studies
• +3 more

Arathi Menon is an Assistant Professor of Art History at Hamilton College, with affiliations in Asian Studies. Her research focuses on South Asian art histories and the material culture of the premodern Indian Ocean world, particularly examining medieval religious architecture and cross-cultural exchanges in Malabar, India. Educational Background: Ph.D., Columbia University M.Phil., Columbia University M.A., Columbia University B.A., University of California, San Diego Menon specializes in the art and architecture of South and Southeast Asia, with a focus on Buddhist and Hindu religious structures, storytelling in art, and the Indian Ocean’s role in shaping cultural identities. Her recent work explores digital pedagogy and accessible art education. Her peer-reviewed publications, such as the chapter on Saint Thomas in South Asia’s art history, highlight her interdisciplinary approach to analyzing religious syncretism and architectural evolution. Menon integrates digital humanities into her research, emphasizing innovative teaching methods. Scientific Awards: Steven Kossak Fellowship in Indian Art Riggio Fellowship in Art History American Institute of Indian Studies Grant Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow (Smarthistory) Innovations in Digital Pedagogy Fellowship (2022-23) Class of 1966 Career Development Award (2022) Class of 1963 Faculty Fellowship (2022) Menon has taught at Columbia University and Scripps College, and her courses include topics like 'Collecting India,' 'Epic Tales in South Asian Art,' and 'The Sacred Art of South Asia.' She is affiliated with the American Council of Southern Asian Art, Association of Asian Studies, and College Art Association.

• Art History
• South Asian Art
• Indian Ocean World
• +6 more

Karin Vélez serves as Associate Professor of History at Macalester College, specializing in pre-1800 Global History since joining the faculty in 2011. Her academic journey includes a doctorate from Princeton University (2008) and undergraduate studies at Williams College where she participated in the Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program. Her research centers on the Atlantic World, early modern Iberian and French empires, and transnational religious phenomena. Key interests include spiritual encounters, comparative empire dynamics, Catholic devotion networks, indigenous women's frontier experiences, and communal myth formation. Current projects examine refugee-driven Catholic diffusion in the late 1600s involving Dalmatian Slavs, Canadian Huron, and Peruvian Moxos Indians, alongside investigations of weeping, displacement, and failed miracles in religious contexts. Her methodological approach combines archival research across Lisbon, Sevilla, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Toronto, Québec, and the Bolivian Amazon with analysis of transoceanic exchanges like flying Holy Houses and wampum gifting. Professor Vélez teaches diverse courses spanning oceans history, magic-science intersections, conquest-conversion dynamics, and cultural intermediaries, alongside foundational world history and humanities writing seminars. Her pedagogical philosophy emphasizes reinventing historical narratives to serve contemporary relevance, connecting classroom instruction with her archival research on how past interpretations evolve for present utility.

• Atlantic World History
• Early Modern Iberian Empires
• Early Modern French Empires
• +8 more

Hilairy Hartnett is a Professor at Arizona State University (ASU) with joint appointments in the School of Earth and Space Exploration and the School of Molecular Sciences. She is affiliated with the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER) and the Global Drylands Center, contributing to interdisciplinary initiatives like Earth Systems Science for the Anthropocene and the Global Futures Scientists and Scholars program. Her research focuses on biogeochemical processes, astrobiology, and urban ecology. Hartnett earned an A.B. in Chemistry from Vassar College (1990) and M.S./Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Washington. After postdoctoral work at Rutgers University studying river and estuarine systems, she joined ASU in 2003. Her expertise spans geochemical cycles, organic reactions under hydrothermal conditions, and planetary habitability assessments. Research Interests 1. Biogeochemistry : Investigates how geochemical, microbial, and human activities influence elemental cycles in modern and ancient environments. 2. Astrobiology : Explores organic geochemistry in hydrothermal systems and its implications for life detection on icy ocean worlds like Enceladus/Europa. 3. Urban Ecology : Analyzes ecological infrastructure in arid urban environments, such as central Arizona, focusing on stormwater systems and soil-water dynamics. 4. Interdisciplinary Science : Advocates for transdisciplinary approaches to address complex planetary and astrobiological challenges. Recent Trends in Publications Her work emphasizes experimental studies of organic reactions under hydrothermal conditions, leveraging mineral interactions to refine biosignature detection criteria for exoplanets. She also collaborates on global-scale initiatives like the TREC team to integrate elemental abundance data into planetary evolution models. Urban ecology research highlights innovative methods for water sustainability in hyperarid regions like the Atacama Desert. Advising & Grants While no formal advisees are listed, Hartnett leads collaborative research teams and participates in major programs (e.g., CAP LTER, Global Drylands Center). Grant details are not explicitly provided but inferred from her involvement in interdisciplinary projects and experimental facilities. Labs/Teams Affiliated with the Central Arizona-Phoenix LTER, Global Drylands Center, and the TREC team. These collaborations support her work on planetary habitability, astrochemical reactions, and urban biogeochemical processes.

• Biogeochemistry
• Geochemistry
• Astrobiology
• +8 more