Sarah Eltantawi

Sarah Eltantawi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theology at Fordham University, where she co-coordinates the Islamic Studies minor and co-directs International Studies at the Rose Hill campus. Her research focuses on contemporary Islam, Islamic law, gender dynamics, and political theology in Egypt, West Africa, and the MENA region. She holds a PhD from Harvard University's Study of Religion program and has held fellowships at institutions including Brandeis University, UC Berkeley, and the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin.

Her seminal work Shari’ah on Trial: Northern Nigeria’s Islamic Revolution (2017) examines the sociopolitical dimensions of Shari’ah implementation through the lens of the Amina Lawal case. Current projects include The Uneasy State: Islam and Egyptian Modernity exploring state-religion interactions. She has published extensively on topics like Islamic legal traditions, gender critiques of Shari’ah, and child marriage controversies.

• Education: PhD (Harvard University, 200X), MA (Harvard University, 200X), BA (UC Berkeley, 200X)
• Awards: Jennifer W. Oppenheimer Fellowship, Sultan Arab Studies Fellowship
• Roles: Visiting Professor at American University in Cairo, Co-Director International Studies

Her research bridges legal history with contemporary social movements, emphasizing how Islamic legal frameworks interact with modern state systems and grassroots activism. Recent work interrogates modernity narratives in Egyptian political theology and the gendered dimensions of legal reform movements.