Mulki Al-Sharmani is a Professor at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and the Department of Cultures (specializing in Middle Eastern Studies). Her research focuses on Islamic feminism, Muslim family law, gender studies, and transnational migrant communities. She examines how religious texts and practices intersect with legal frameworks and social dynamics in contexts like Egypt, Finland, and the Somali diaspora. Her work includes analyzing Islamic legal reform, gender equality in marriage, and the lived experiences of Muslim women. Key publications explore Qur'anic hermeneutics, the role of feminist activism in legal change, and the wellbeing of transnational families. She has contributed to projects like 'Reclaiming Adl and Ihsan in Muslim Marriage' and co-edited volumes on Islamic ethics and family law reform. Research interests: Islamic feminist theory, Middle Eastern legal traditions, transnational family dynamics, and religious praxis. Recent articles highlight themes like Qur'anic ethics of marriage, legal pluralism in Finland, and the political dimensions of Egyptian family law reform. Active in international conferences, including presentations at SOAS University of London, American University in Cairo, and panels on Islamic law and gender at venues like MESA and EASR. Involved in interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Africa Research Forum and Musawah's global network for equality in Muslim family laws.
Sarah Bracke is a Professor in Sociology of Gender and Sexuality at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam . Her work critically examines intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and secularism, particularly in European contexts. She is deeply engaged in analyzing systemic crises—capitalist, nationalist, and ecological—and their impact on marginalized communities. Current Affiliation : University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Research Focus : Gender theory, reproductive rights, anti-LGBTQ+ mobilizations, secularism, and the political dimensions of care economies. Bracke’s research emphasizes the deliberate erosion of gender, reproductive, and LGBTQ+ rights, often highlighting transnational collaborations among far-right and mainstream political forces. She connects these issues to broader crises, including climate change, capitalist precarity, and nationalist rhetoric. Her work advocates for feminist coalitions that transcend traditional boundaries, prioritizing care ethics and collective solidarity over exclusionary frameworks. Her recent publications explore topics like the racialized dimensions of reproductive politics, the secularist underpinnings of European ‘Muslim Question’ discourse, and the role of academia in resisting oppressive systems. Although no specific awards or advisees are mentioned in the text, Bracke’s scholarship consistently bridges feminist theory, critical race analysis, and critiques of neoliberalism, urging transformative responses to global crises.
Aydogan Kars is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at Monash University, affiliated with the Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies. His research focuses on medieval and modern Islamic mysticism, Sufi theology, and interreligious dialogue. Kars has led or co-led seven major research projects, including studies on Sufi genealogies, religious literacy, and the intersection of AI with human selfhood. He holds prestigious awards such as the Monash Faculty of Arts Dean’s Research Award (2021) and a Doctoral Fellowship from the Orient-Institut (2015). Kars actively contributes to academic governance as an editorial board member for the Journal for the Academic Study of Religion and peer reviews for journals like Religions and Journal of Islamic Ethics . His research interests span Islamic philosophy, mystical texts, and comparative theology, with notable work on apophatic theology in medieval Islam. Kars supervises PhD students and collaborates internationally on projects exploring Sufi traditions across Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and modern contexts.
Rumee Ahmed is a Professor of Islamic Law in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts, where he also holds the Canada Research Chair in Theology and Ethics. He earned his PhD from the Institute for the Study of Institutional Studies at Bovine University and specializes in Islamic law, theology, ethics, and philosophy. His research explores: Islamic legal theory and theology through emic approaches Ethical frameworks in Quranic exegesis and interfaith dialogue Intersections of law, gender, and human rights in Muslim societies Ahmed's publications predominantly focus on Islamic jurisprudence, theological ethics, and scriptural hermeneutics, with recurring themes of justice, interreligious engagement, and the evolution of Islamic legal thought. His work frequently employs comparative analysis across historical and contemporary contexts. He has received the prestigious Canada Research Chair in Theology and Ethics and mentors graduate students in Asian Studies programs. Ahmed actively collaborates on interdisciplinary projects and seeks research partnerships.
Dr. Galina Miazhevich is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) at Cardiff University, UK. Previously, she served as a lecturer at the University of Leicester's School of Media, Communication and Sociology (2013-2017) and as the Gorbachev Media Research Fellow at the University of Oxford (2008-2012). Her academic career focuses on media representations in post-communist contexts, with particular expertise in Russian and Eastern European media landscapes. Dr. Miazhevich earned her PhD from the University of Manchester, where she subsequently worked for two years as a Research Associate on an AHRC-funded project examining representations of Islam as a security threat. Her educational background has informed her research trajectory, which bridges media studies, political communication, and cultural analysis of post-Soviet societies. Dr. Miazhevich's research spans several interconnected domains: media representations of Islam and multiculturalism in Europe; media and democracy in post-communist Europe; gender, media, and emergent forms of post-Soviet identity; feminism; Eurovision and popular culture; and diaspora, transnationalism, and media. Her work consistently examines how media shapes and is shaped by political transitions, identity formation, and social movements in post-Soviet contexts, with particular attention to marginalized voices and resistance practices. Analysis of Dr. Miazhevich's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on resistance, identity, and power dynamics in post-Soviet media environments. Her work increasingly examines gender and sexuality as political categories, particularly through the lens of feminist and LGBTQ+ resistance to authoritarian regimes. The Eurovision Song Contest serves as a recurring analytical framework for understanding cultural diplomacy and nation-branding strategies. More recently, her research has pivoted toward documenting anti-war resistance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, examining how celebrities and media figures navigate political dissent under authoritarian conditions. Dr. Miazhevich has received several notable recognitions for her scholarly contributions: AHRC Leadership grant 'A Quiet Revolution: Discursive Representations of Non-heteronormative Sexuality in Russia' (2018-2020, £250,960) Visiting Fellowship at the Davis Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University (Fall 2023) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) Associate Editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Communication (2024) Dr. Miazhevich actively mentors the next generation of scholars, currently co-supervising PhD students Diyana Dobreva (with Professor Martin Innes) and John Tasker (with Professor Paul Bowman). She welcomes PhD proposals in areas including digital culture and resistance, media management and misinformation, media and democracy, representation of minority groups, post-communist identity politics, gender and feminism, Eurovision and popular culture, and geopolitics and nation-branding. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained success in securing competitive research funding, including leadership of an AHRC grant and participation in the Academy of Finland project FEMCORUS (2021-2025). Dr. Miazhevich is deeply engaged with academic communities, serving as co-convenor of the (Digital) Media and Culture group at the British Association for Slavic and East European Studies (BASEES) since 2016 and as a member of the Advisory Board of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) since 2021. Her work extends beyond academia through public engagement, including invited talks at prestigious institutions like Harvard University and participation in policy-relevant events at Chatham House addressing LGBTQ+ politics in Russia.
Mohammad Fazlhashemi is a Professor of Islamic Theology and Philosophy at Uppsala University's Department of Theology (Systematic Theology). His work bridges Islamic intellectual traditions with contemporary issues like democracy, environmental ethics, and interreligious dialogue. Current affiliations: Uppsala University, Faculty of Theology Key research areas: Islamic political philosophy, ecotheology, gender in Islam, and theological responses to modernity Email: mohammad.fazlhashemi@teol.uu.se Recent publications highlight trends in Islamic ecoethics (e.g., Islamic Ecotheology , 2025), critical analysis of classical texts (e.g., Critical-constructive interpretation of Islamic documents , 2024), and political theology (e.g., Justifying political decisions through theological arguments , 2016). His scholarship often engages comparative frameworks, as seen in works like Occidentalism (2005) and Shiʿite Salafism? (2022). Mohammad Fazlhashemi's impact spans both academic and public discourse, with contributions to debates on Islam and modernity in outlets like Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet . His co-authored book Visdomens hus: Muslimska idévärldar 600 - 2000 (2017) demonstrates his interest in Islamic intellectual history across eras.
Hatoon Alfassi is an Honorary Research Fellow in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Manchester. A Saudi historian specialized in pre-Islamic Arabian history and women's studies, she previously held positions at King Saud University and Qatar University. Alfassi earned her PhD from the University of Manchester focusing on women and power in ancient Nabataea. Her research examines women's historical agency in ancient Arabian societies, Islamic feminism, and contemporary gender rights in Saudi Arabia. She pioneered studies of Nabataean women through epigraphic analysis and comparative methodology. Current work analyzes intersections between religious interpretation, legal frameworks, and women's citizenship rights in Gulf societies. Alfassi received the MESA Academic Freedom Award (2018) and French National Order of Merit (2012). Her publications in Arabic and English include five books and numerous articles analyzing gender dynamics from antiquity to modern reforms. She maintains an active public intellectual presence through decades of newspaper columns addressing women's rights.
Renasha Khan is a Lecturer in Religion, Politics and Ethics at King’s College London, based in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She holds a PhD in the Sociology of Religion from King’s College London. Her research focuses on digital religion, examining how social media shapes narratives of British Bangladeshi Muslim women’s agency, identity, and belonging through decolonial and feminist methodologies. She co-designed decolonised pedagogical modules at King’s, emphasizing lived experiences and challenging dominant epistemologies. Her teaching spans religion, politics, ethics, sociology, race, and gender at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, employing film and digital media to foster critical thinking. Beyond academia, she is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and media consultant for BBC, Sky Arts, and National Geographic. She co-founded Forward Culture to empower South Asian women and leads the Religion, Neurodiversity and Disability Network. Publications include Living the Muslim Atlantic: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Marginality (2020) and works addressing digital activism and Muslim women’s online identities. She actively engages in policy work on digital rights and inclusive futures through her roles at the British Sociological Association and King’s College London.
Dr. Ali Kassem is a Lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. His academic work spans multiple disciplines, focusing on decolonial approaches to understanding power dynamics, knowledge production, and social formations across the Arab-majority world and beyond. Dr. Kassem received his PhD from the School of Law, Politics, and Sociology at the University of Sussex. He completed postdoctoral research at the Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Edinburgh and was an early career fellow with the Arab Council for Social Sciences funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. His academic journey includes teaching and research positions at Ludwig-Maximillian University in Munich, EHESS in Paris, American University of Beirut, and Lebanese American University. Dr. Kassem's research examines contemporary coloniality across questions of power and knowledge. His work spans anti-Muslim racism within Arab-majority contexts, transformations in Islamic educational institutions, dehumanization of Syrian refugees, and urban transformations in Lebanon. His transdisciplinary approach engages ethnic and racial studies, sociology of religion, social psychology, migration studies, and urban studies, working alongside anticolonial thinkers including Frantz Fanon, Ali Shariati, and James Baldwin. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on decolonial theory applied to education, urban studies, and Islamic contexts. Dr. Kassem's work consistently challenges Eurocentric frameworks while exploring alternatives emerging from the Global South. His research demonstrates particular attention to Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean region as sites for theorizing global coloniality. Dr. Kassem has authored the book "Islamophobia and Global Coloniality: the Lived Erasure of Visibly Muslim Women in Lebanon" (Bloomsbury Academic, February 2023) and is currently editing "Decoloniality and Arabo-Islamicate Worlds" (Bristol University Press, 2025). His scholarly contributions appear in journals including Ethnic and Racial Studies, Globalizations, Contemporary Religion, and Review of Middle East Studies.
Nicola Pratt is a Professor of International Politics of the Middle East at the University of Warwick's School of Politics and International Studies (SPAIS). She previously served at the University of East Anglia and has extensive field experience in Egypt focused on human rights and democratization. Her work bridges feminist international relations theory with Middle Eastern politics, emphasizing grassroots activism, gender dynamics, and popular culture's role in political movements. Pratt's research explores democratization, gender politics, and peace/security in the Middle East, with notable projects like the digital archive documenting Egypt's 2011 uprising. She has held leadership roles, including President of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (2024-). Her 2020 book Embodying Geopolitics won the BISA Susan Strange Prize, analyzing women's activism across Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Her recent articles address feminist responses to Israel's actions in Palestine, the political economy of tourism-related violence, and decolonial praxis in academia. Pratt also advises PhD students on Middle Eastern studies and critical approaches to international relations.
Alina Sajed is an Associate Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science at McMaster University, where she joined in September 2013 after serving as Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong from 2010 to 2013. She earned her PhD in Political Science from McMaster University in 2008, following academic work at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Romania. Her educational background includes: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English and French Language and Literature from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași Master of Arts from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași Master of Arts in Political Science from McMaster University PhD in Political Science from McMaster University (2008) Professor Sajed's research critically examines international relations through decolonial and postcolonial lenses, with particular focus on colonialism, decolonization, anticolonial theory, and Third Worldism as global political projects. Her work centers on North Africa and the Middle East, exploring political violence, political Islam, and the unrealized potential of Third Worldism beyond rigid nationalist boundaries. She investigates how Algerian intellectuals engaged in translocal solidarity with other decolonization projects worldwide. Dr. Sajed has received significant recognition for her scholarly contributions, including: ISA's 2024 Theory Award for special issue 'Anticolonial Connectivity and the Politics of Solidarity' President's Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision (2022) As an educator, she teaches courses including International Relations: North-South, Non-Western International Relations, and Politics of the Global South. She serves as Associate Editor at Contexto Internacional: Journal of Global Connections and has guest edited issues for South Atlantic Quarterly and Postcolonial Studies, demonstrating her leadership in advancing decolonial approaches to international relations scholarship.
Nadia Guessous is an Associate Professor and Chair in the departments of Arabic, Islamic, & Middle Eastern Studies and Feminist & Gender Studies at Colorado College. Her research focuses on transnational feminist theory, postcolonial/decolonial thought, and critical Muslim/MENA studies. She explores themes such as secular feminism in Morocco, affect and power, and the decolonization of knowledge. Her current book project, The Tragedy of Progress , examines the intersection of postcolonial secular feminism and the legacies of colonial modernity in Morocco. Education: PhD in Anthropology, Columbia University (2011) MA in Anthropology, Columbia University (2001) BA in Media and Cultural Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst (1996) Research Interests: Transnational politics of gender/sexuality Religion and secularism Memory, embodiment, and affect Decolonial methodologies Awards & Fellowships: Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Rutgers University (2012–2014) Recipient of multiple teaching awards at CC Teaching & Mentorship: Known for interdisciplinary courses like Critical Feminist Methodologies and Gender & Sexuality in the Modern Middle East Former Visiting Lecturer at Amherst College, Columbia/Barnard, and Princeton
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Zeynep K. Korkman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Gender Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with a research focus on gendered intersections of affect, labor, religion, and feminist politics in Turkey and the Muslim Middle East. Her forthcoming book Gendered Fortunes: Divination, Precarity, and Affect in Postsecular Turkey (Duke University Press, 2023) examines fortunetelling economies as windows into neoliberal and authoritarian contradictions. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011 B.A. in Sociology, Bosphorus University, Istanbul, Turkey, 2000 Dr. Korkman's research centers on Transnational feminisms , gender-labor-affect dynamics , religion/secularism in public spheres , and Turkey/Middle Eastern studies . She investigates how women and LGBTIQ individuals navigate heteropatriarchy, neoliberal capitalism, and anti-Muslim racism through affective labor and political resistance, critically engaging postsecular complexities in millennial Turkey. Her 14 recent publications (2014-2023) reveal consistent thematic evolution: early work analyzed commodified intimacy and divination in Turkey's political economy, while recent scholarship critically examines anti-Muslim racism, transnational feminist solidarities, and secularism's gendered politics. Methodologically grounded in ethnography and cultural analysis, her work bridges Gender Studies, Sociology, and Middle Eastern Studies with urgent interventions in global feminist discourse. Her awards include: Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship, American Association of University Women (2019) Hellman Fellows Award, UCLA (2019) Research Fellowship, NEH/American Research Institute in Turkey (2016) Faculty Career Development Award, UCLA (2017) Research Professorship, University of Arizona (2015) Dr. Korkman's grant portfolio demonstrates sustained support for transnational feminist research, including National Endowment for the Humanities funding and multi-institutional fellowships. Her editorial leadership in Meridians journal's special issue on anti-Muslim racism reflects active mentorship in emerging scholarly conversations, though specific student advising details remain undisclosed in available materials.
Aysha Hidayatullah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco's College of Arts & Sciences. She teaches undergraduate courses focusing on gender, sexuality, race, ethics, and religious studies within Islamic traditions. PhD, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2009 MA, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2005 BA, Women's Studies and English, Emory University, 2001 Her research explores feminist exegesis of the Qur'an , constructions of gender and sexuality in Islamic traditions , and the body in Islamic ritual practices . She also examines literary representations of Muslims, particularly through feminist theological frameworks and methodologies in Islamic studies. Key themes in her publications include interfaith collaboration , Qur'anic hermeneutics , and gendered narratives in Islamic history . Her work addresses intersections of religion, gender, and race in both historical and contemporary contexts. 2023, Collective Achievement Award, University of San Francisco 2019, James Catiggay Changemaker Award, University of San Francisco 2017, Distinguished Teaching Award, University of San Francisco & Faculty Association 2016-2017, Dean's Scholar Award, College of Arts and Sciences 2015, Ignatian Service Award, University of San Francisco
Kristin Soraya Batmanghelichi is a Professor in Middle East Studies at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages (IKOS), Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo. She is a feminist scholar with a PhD from Columbia University and has held academic positions at Leiden University, Columbia University, and Princeton University. Her research focuses on gender, sexuality, cyberactivism, and political Islam in Iran and the broader Middle East. PhD in Iranian Studies, Columbia University (2013) MA in Human Rights and MA in Middle Eastern Studies, Columbia University (2004, 2007) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Religion, Culture and Public Life (IRCPL), Columbia University (2016–2017) Visiting Lecturer, Leiden University (2014–2016) Her research interests include feminist theory, postcolonial studies, cyberactivism, women's movements, and the politics of class, sex, and race in the Middle East. She explores how gendered public spaces and digital platforms shape resistance and identity in Iran. Her work bridges activism and academia, particularly through feminist engagements with digital culture and diasporic politics. Her recent publications and monograph Revolutionary Bodies: Technologies of Gender, Sex, and Self in Contemporary Iran (2021) examine the intersections of technology, gender, and selfhood in Iran. Articles span topics such as cyberfeminism, government morality, and feminist challenges on social media, reflecting a strong focus on digital publics and feminist epistemology in the Iranian context. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Independent Research Fund Denmark (2023–2026), Co-PI President's Global Innovation Fund, Columbia University (2017) Whiting Foundation Dissertation Fellowship (2011–2012) Columbia University Jackson Fellowship (2008–09) Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (2006) Multiple research and travel fellowships from Columbia University and the Houtan Foundation She has supervised master’s theses and taught courses such as Iran in the World , Gender & Revolutions , and Fieldwork in the Middle East . She is Co-PI on a major Danish-funded project on diasporic Iranian politics and digital publics (2023–2026). She has co-organized international conference series on populism and pluralism across Amman, Tunis, Paris, and New York. She is an original member of the Theory of the Margins Collective in Oslo and founder of the Digging Collective , both of which support critical and interdisciplinary feminist scholarship.
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