Collegiate Affiliation
Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
Religious Studies

I am a literary historian interested in the literature, history, and philology of the Middle East and South Asia. My research spans a number of languages and textual traditions including Persian, Arabic, and Urdu.

My first book was The Making of Persianate Modernity: Language and Literary History between Iran and India (Cambridge University Press, 2023). I am now working on several new projects: a book on Islam and philology, a cultural history of the late Persianate world, and a full translation of Khan-i Arzu's Musmir (together with Shahla Farghadani).

I also lead a weekly Persian poetry reading group for faculty and students, which has met regularly since 2023.

Educational Background & Specialties
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Educational Background

  • PhD: Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine
  • MA: Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine
  • BA: Community Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz

Specialties

  • Persianate world
  • literary history
  • philology
  • Persian and Urdu literatures
  • language