Emanuelle Degli Esposti

Dr. Emanuelle Degli Esposti is a Research Associate at the Centre of Islamic Studies (CIS) at the University of Cambridge, where she has been conducting research since November 2018. She specializes in the study of Muslim minorities in Europe and the Middle East, with particular expertise in Shi'a Islam and its diaspora communities.

Education:

• PhD in Middle East Politics, SOAS, University of London
• MSc in Middle East Politics, SOAS, University of London
• BA, Oxford University

Research Interests: Dr. Degli Esposti's research interrogates the complex encounter between secularism and religious minorities, focusing on how sectarian identities are created and sustained. Her work particularly examines the experiences of Shi'a Muslim minorities in Britain and Europe, exploring themes of identity politics, diaspora formation, and the negotiation of religious practice in secular societies.

Her current research project, titled 'Beyond Sectarianism', aims to develop new frameworks for understanding sectarian identity beyond traditional paradigms. This work brings together insights from anthropology, political science, and religious studies to examine how Shi'a communities navigate and contest sectarian categorizations in European contexts.

Publications and Media: Dr. Degli Esposti is a prolific scholar whose work has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals including Journal of Muslims in Europe, Religion, State & Society, and Contemporary Islam. Her monograph on identity politics among Shi'a Muslim minorities in Britain is currently under review with the University of Chicago Press.

In addition to her academic work, she is the founder and editor of The Arab Review, an online magazine that bridges academic research and public discourse on Middle Eastern affairs. She has over six years of experience in journalism, consultancy, and intelligence analysis, contributing to major media outlets including The Conversation, Al-Jazeera, and New Statesman.

Professional Experience: Beyond academia, Dr. Degli Esposti has worked extensively in consultancy and intelligence analysis covering Europe and the Middle East. Her policy reports have been commissioned by organizations such as the Centre of Academic Shi'a Studies and Integrity, a risk and consultancy agency.