Emily Selove

Emily Selove is an Associate Professor in Medieval Arabic Language and Literature at the University of Exeter. She is the convener of the interdisciplinary Centre for Magic and Esotericism (blogs.exeter.ac.uk/magic/), focusing on the history of magic and occult sciences. In 2023, she launched a pioneering MA in Magic and Occult Sciences, featured in global media including the BBC and New York Times.

Education:

• PhD in Medieval Arabic Studies, UCLA (2012)

Research Interests:

• Medieval Arabic literature and its intersections with Greek/Roman traditions
• Magic, occult sciences, and their cultural/historical contexts
• Alternative epistemologies and embodied knowledge

Her work bridges literary analysis, religious studies, and anthropology, often exploring how magical practices and literary forms co-evolved in premodern societies.

Grants & Projects:

• Principal Investigator (PI) of the Leverhulme-funded 'A Sorcerer's Handbook' project (2019–2022), producing an interdisciplinary analysis of a medieval magic manual.

Current PhD supervision focuses on magical traditions, medieval Baghdadi poetry, and occult performances in Gulf communities.

Labs/Teams:

• Director of the Centre for Magic and Esotericism
• Core contributor to Exeter's interdisciplinary magic studies initiatives