معرفی
Vanessa DeGifis is an Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Department Chair at Wayne State University's Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures department. She specializes in Islamic intellectual culture, Qur’anic interpretation, and medieval Islamic statecraft. Her research examines how scriptural themes shape public life and political structures, particularly in the Abbasid Caliphate and Mamluk Sultanate.
Education: Ph.D. (2008) and M.A. (2001) in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago, and B.A. (1999) from UC Santa Barbara.
Her current book project analyzes the role of Qur’anic language in Mamluk Sultanate statecraft via the secretarial manual of al-Qalqashandi. She explores intersections of religion, power, and bureaucracy. She serves on the editorial boards of the Mamluk Studies Review and Journal of the International Qur'anic Studies Association (JIQSA), which she co-founded.
Awards include the 2025 Data Literacy Fellowship and 2015 Excellence in Teaching Award. She has taught advanced Japanese language courses (JPN1020, JPN2020, JPN3020) and contributed to grant initiatives promoting equitable access to global learning.
