The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding welcomes Shenila Khoja-Moolji as the new Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Associate Professor of Muslim Societies (effective August 1)
Professor Khoja-Moolji is an interdisciplinary scholar with research interests in the fields of Islamic studies, feminist theory, South Asia, and migration studies. She is the author of two award-winning books: Forging the Ideal Educated Girl: The Product of Desirable Subjects in Muslim South Asia and Sovereign Attachments: Masculinity, Muslimness, and Affective Politics in Pakistan.
Professor Khoja-Moolji is currently working on her third book that traces the transnational lives of Shia Ismaili Muslim women. The book follows their journeys, past and present, from colonial India to East Africa and then onto North America. It outlines the everyday forms through which women create spaces of joy, forge community, and practice ethical subjectivities.
In the Fall, Professor Khoja-Moolji will offer a course on ‘Muslim women in the West.’ She explains: “this course provides an alternate account of Muslim women by centering texts and aesthetics produced by them, along with ethnographic studies that give us a glimpse into their lives in the West. We encounter Muslim women through non-normative frames of agency, joy, community-building, and care. We observe the myriad ways in which they construct preferred futures against racist, capitalist, and heteronormative logics. A major thrust of the course is studying the lifeworlds of Shia Muslim women in North America.”
In reaction to her appointment Professor Khoja-Moolji said: “I am excited to join the vibrant intellectual community of ACMCU, School of Foreign Service, and Georgetown. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues and students to research in the areas of Shia studies, gender, and migration.”
For speaking engagements, please contact the professor at shenila.khojamoolji@georgetown.edu
