Chiara Formichi

Chiara Formichi is the H. Stanley Krusen Professor of World Religions at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her academic work bridges Islamic Studies, Southeast Asian History, and Religious Studies.

• Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies from SOAS, University of London; B.A. in Islamic Studies from University of Rome.

Her research focuses on Islam as a lived religion and political ideology in 20th-century Indonesia, examining sectarianism, religious pluralism, and transnational ideological exchanges. She also explores the disciplinary relationship between Asian Studies and Islamic Studies.

Recent publications highlight her expertise in Shi'ism dynamics across Southeast Asia, political Islam, and religion-state interactions. Articles span topics from historical Indonesian nationalism to contemporary religious legislation in Hong Kong.

She teaches courses like "Religion and Society in Asia" and advanced seminars on Shi'ism and ritual practices in Muslim Southeast Asia.