Donald Westbrook

Donald Westbrook is a Lecturer at the School of Information, San José State University, where he teaches courses in archives, historical research methods, and the history of libraries. He has also held academic appointments at UCLA, UT Austin, USF Tampa, and Cal State Fullerton, and was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at San Diego State University.

• Ph.D. in Religious Studies, Claremont Graduate University (2015)
• MLIS, San José State University (2019)
• M.A. in Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary (2009)
• B.A. in Philosophy, UC Berkeley (2006)

Westbrook's research spans the history of libraries, archives, and information science, as well as religious studies, with a focus on new religious movements, Coptic Christianity, secularity, and intellectual freedom. His interdisciplinary work reflects deep engagement with cultural heritage, religious identity, and the preservation of knowledge.

His recent publications include two 2024 monographs with Cambridge University Press: Anticultism in France and Mariachi in the Twenty-First Century. His scholarly articles examine topics such as Scientology, Coptic diaspora identity, and religious apparitions, often blending historical, sociological, and theological perspectives. The publications reveal a strong trend in interdisciplinary scholarship at the intersection of religion, culture, and information.

Westbrook has no listed scientific awards in the provided text.

He has advised no named students and has no listed grants, but his national and international lecturing, editorial roles (e.g., at the Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia), and research fellowships indicate active scholarly engagement. He has contributed to research on religious identity, archival practices, and information preservation.

He is affiliated with the Claremont Colleges Digital Library as a former Research Associate and Associate Managing Editor for the Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia, a significant digital scholarly project.