Souad Ali

Souad Ali is an Associate Professor and Faculty Head of Classics and Middle Eastern Studies at Arizona State University’s School of International Letters and Cultures (SILC). As a leading scholar in Arabic and Islamic Studies, she holds affiliate roles in multiple departments including Women and Gender Studies, Religious Studies, and the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict. Her research focuses on Middle Eastern/Islamic studies, Arabic literature, and feminist movements in Muslim societies. She has authored several influential books, including A Religion, Not a State: Ali ‘Abd al-Raziq’s Islamic Justification of Political Secularism (2009) and Perspectives of Five Kuwaiti Women in Leadership Roles (2019).

Dr. Ali earned her Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Utah (2004), with prior degrees from Brigham Young University (M.A., 1994) and the University of Khartoum (B.A., 1991). She has held teaching positions at institutions like the American University of Kuwait and has been a Fulbright Scholar. Her awards include the ASU Outstanding Advisor of the Year (2019) and the ASU Faculty Women’s Association Mentor Award (2017).

Her research spans Islamic feminism, secularism, Sufism, and Sudanese studies. She has published over 25 peer-reviewed articles and frequently lectures on interfaith dialogue and Muslim women’s leadership. Ali serves on numerous academic boards, including the Sudan Studies Association and the International Association of Intercultural Studies. She coordinates Arabic Studies programs and has pioneered initiatives like the Arabic Studies minor at ASU.

Her current projects include translating Ali ‘Abd al-Raziq’s works for Oxford University Press and studying Kuwaiti women’s political roles. She actively engages in public outreach, appearing on TV and contributing to intercultural dialogue initiatives.