Aziza Shanazarova

Aziza Shanazarova is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, specializing in the religious history of Islamic Central Asia and the broader Persianate world, with a focus on the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. She holds a dual Ph.D. in Religious Studies and Central Eurasian Studies from Indiana University-Bloomington (2019). Previously, she served as a UCIS/REEES Postdoctoral Associate in the Humanities at the University of Pittsburgh.

Her research examines Sufi traditions, gendered religious practices, and the intersection of Islamic scholarship with Central Asian cultural identities. Notable works include studies on female religiosity, Sufi manuscripts, and the evolution of shrine traditions.

She received the Honorable Mention for the BRAIS-De Gruyter Prize, recognizing her contributions to the field of Islamic studies. Her forthcoming book, Female Religiosity in Central Asia, is set to be published by Cambridge University Press.