Ali Mirsepassi

Ali Mirsepassi is the Albert Gallatin Research Excellence Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at New York University, affiliated with the Gallatin School of Individualized Study and the Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Science. He also directs the Iranian Studies Initiative and holds an affiliation with the Sociology Department. His academic journey includes roles as interim dean at Gallatin and teaching positions at institutions like Hampshire College and Amherst College.

Education: B.A. in Political Science (University of Tehran, 1974); M.A. in International Relations (American University, 1980); Ph.D. in Sociology (American University, 1985).

Research focuses on contemporary social theory, sociology of religion, Islam and modernity, Middle Eastern societies, postcolonial studies, and globalization. His work critiques modernity, explores Iranian intellectual history, and examines religious-political intersections. Notable publications include *Iran’s Troubled Modernity* (2018) and *Transnationalism in Iranian Political Thought* (2017).

Awards include the Carnegie Scholars Program (2007–2009), Tehran University’s Best Researcher Award (2001), and the 2014 Award for Outstanding Service from the Institute for International Education Scholar Rescue Fund. He has received grants from the Ford Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities.

Mirsepassi advises on academic policy, contributed to area studies debates, and co-created the film *The Fabulous Life and Thought of Ahmad Fardid*. His current projects include *Al Ghazali’s Alchemy of Happiness* and *Iran’s Quiet Revolution*.