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Shiraz Hajiani, PhD
hajiani @ islamicate.net
Curriculum Vitae
I am scholar of religion and history and am an accomplished educator, researcher, mentor and communicator with over a decade of experience in teaching and advising undergraduates, graduates and continuing education students. I use multi-disciplinary approaches, including digital humanities methodologies, to study and teach religion and history. I specialise in Islamic history and thought, Shiʿism, Ismaili studies and with regional expertise in the study of the Middle East, North Africa, Central and South Asia
Teaching Experience
Lecturer in Islamic Studies (2022-2023)
Harvard Divinity School and Department of Neareastern Languages and Civilizations, Cambridge, MA
Religion and Society in Islamicate Societies (900-1300) from Shiʿi Centuries to the Mongol Invasions (Fall 2022)
Lecturer in History (2021)
Tufts University, Department of History, Medford, MA
Middle East from 18th Century to World War One (Fall 2021)
Adjunct Professor (2021-2022)
University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
Introduction to Islam (Fall 2021-Winter 2022)
Adjunct Professor (2019-2022)
Babson College, Division of History and Society, Babson Park, MA
Modern Middle East (Winter 2022)
People and Cultures of the Middle East (Autumn 2019, Winter 2020, Autumn 2021)
Islamic History and Society (Winter 2020)
Adjunct Professor (2020)
Emerson College, Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies, Boston, MA
Islam in the World (Winter 2020)
Faculty and Student Support (2019-2021)
Harvard Extension School, Cambridge, MA
Supported 30+ in-class and on-line undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Coordinated student research and provided weekly reports and feedback on student learning to the lead instructor
Adjunct Professor (2017)
Loyola University, Department of History, Chicago, IL
Survey of Islamic History (Winter 2017)
Academic Preceptor (2010-2015)
University of Chicago Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Guided four cohorts of students in the two-year MA-Program. Participated in the review of student applications. Taught strategic study skills, time management and research methods to first-year students. Advised second-year students in choice of thesis topics. Supervised processes of thesis proposals, research, analyses and write-up. Provided academic guidance on a broad range of theses topics (please see listing of Theses Advised). Reviewed final drafts of some forty theses before submission to official advisors. Advised and guided fellowship, job and doctoral research applications
Adjunct Professor (2011-2012)
Lake Forest College, Religion Department, Lake Forest, IL
Islam and Muslim Modernities (Spring 2012)
Conversations between Jews, Christians and Muslims (Spring 2012)
Introduction to Islam (Autumn 2011)
Lecturer (2007-2016)
Univsersity of Chicago, Graham School, Chicago. IL
Courses taught:
Mongol Invasions and Rule in Islamicate Domains (Autumn 2016)
Islamicate Historiography—Constructions of the Past (Winter 2016)
Islamic “Sectarianisms” Past and Present (Autumn 2015)
Marshall Hodgson’s Venture of Islam
-The Classical Age of Islam (600-945) (Autumn 2009; 2013)
-Expansion of Islam in the Middle Periods (945-1501) (Winter 2010; 2014)
-Gunpowder Empires to the Modern Middle East (Spring 2010; 2014)
Ismaili History and Thought (Spring 2013)
Nomadic Invasions of Iran—Saljuqs and Mongols (Winter 2013)
Islamicate History through Classical Autobiographies (Autumn 2012)
Shiʿi History and Thought (Spring 2012)
Islam and Construction of the “Other” (Autumn 2011)
Modern Middle Eastern History through Literature (Winter 2011)
Introduction to Islam and Muslim Civilizations (Autumn 2008)
Asian Classics Program—“Middle East Year” (2007-2010)
-Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry and the Shahnama of Firdawsi (Autumn)
-Sufism Seminar: classical Sufi texts in translation (Winter)
-History Seminar: 13-20th century Islamicate chronicles (Spring)
Gleacher Center, University of Chicago, Photo Credit: https://nativephilanthropy.org/30anniversary/
Lead Instructor (2004-2008) Director (2006-2008)
College Program on Islam, the Nizari Ismaili Community in North America
Co-designed and taught this two-week intensive course on Islam and Muslim Civilisations for 18-25 year-olds in the Ismaili Muslim community in North America. In 2013 established the program in the Middle East.
Teaching Fellowships
Teaching Fellow (2010-2012)
University of Chicago, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Chicago. IL
Islamic History and Society 600-1000 CE taught with Fred Donner
Islamic Literature and Thought 1000-1700 CE taught with Franklin Lewis
Islamic History and Society 1000-1700 CE taught with John Woods
Islamic History and Society of the Modern Middle East with Holly Schissler
Reading Room of the Oriental Institute, Photo Credit: uchicagoadmission.tumblr.com
Teaching Fellow (2004, 2011, 2019)
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies with Ali Asani [In-class and Distance Learning-Extension School] (2019)
—with Ali Asani and Diane Moore [Distance Learning-Extension School] (2011)
—with Ali Asani [In-class-Faculty of Arts and Sciences] (2004)
Freshman Seminar: Muslim Voices in Contemporary World Literatures taught by Ali Asani (Summer 2004) Developed syllabus, created course content and curated the interactive website with background materials on texts and authors studied in the seminar
Visiting Humanities Fellow (2005-2006)
Aga Khan Humanities Project for Central Asia, University of Central Asia, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Identifying Civil Society (Spring 2006)
Gender, Justice and Worship—taught this research methods course at seven universities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan (Spring 2006)
Negotiating Human Nature (Autumn 2005)
Between the Lines: the Art of Reading (Autumn 2005)