Madawi Al-Rasheed

Madawi Al-Rasheed is Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics (LSE) Middle East Centre, where she conducts research on political and religious change in Saudi Arabia, particularly following the 2011 Arab uprisings. She previously held the position of Professor of Anthropology of Religion at King’s College London (1994–2013), was a Research Fellow at the Open Society Foundation, and a Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford. She has also taught at Goldsmiths College and the University of Oxford.

Her research focuses on Saudi political development, gender policies, religious reform, and civil society. She is widely published, with major works including Muted Modernists (2015), Salman’s Legacy (2018), and A History of Saudi Arabia. Her research has been supported by fellowships from the Open Society Foundation and other institutions.

Al-Rasheed is a frequent contributor to international media, including BBC, CNN, CCTV, and Al-Hura, and has published op-eds in The Guardian, Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, and Foreign Affairs. She has given seminars at Harvard University, the University of Denver, and Casa Arabe in Madrid.

• Saudi Arabia
• GCC states
• Anthropology
• Gender
• Islamic Politics
• Political Reform

Her recent publications reflect a consistent focus on authoritarian resilience, religious reinterpretation, and social change in Saudi Arabia, particularly under Mohammed bin Salman. Themes include state-led modernization, repression of dissent, gender reforms, and the manipulation of nationalist discourse.

• Fellow of the British Academy (2020)

She has advised governments and international organizations and continues to be an influential public intellectual on Gulf affairs. Although she does not appear to supervise formal students at LSE, her extensive publications and public engagement reflect significant academic mentorship and influence. She is not part of a formal lab or research team but leads independent and collaborative research initiatives.