Yelena Abdullayeva

Yelena Abdullayeva is a Research Fellow and ONGC Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford. Her work explores Azerbaijan's cultural and historical intersections with the Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and Islamic traditions from 1800s-1939, focusing on identity formation, gender policies, and state-driven modernization.

• Doctoral degree in History from University of Waterloo (2020)
• Specializes in colonialism, Soviet cultural policies, and Azerbaijani modernity
• Recipient of Doctoral Thesis Completion Award and ONGC Visiting Fellowship

Her research synthesizes imperial and Soviet nation-building strategies through gender, education, and medicine. She has enhanced her academic skills through university teaching certifications and workshops at ARISC and REEEC.