My senior interdisciplinary thesis examines the Qizilbash as both a political and visual phenomenon, analyzing their representation in Persianate art alongside their role in shaping the power structures of medieval Iran.  

Over the course of my last couple semesters of my degree, I worked to tie my interest in art analysis and my training in International Affairs and Middle East Studies by linking historical expressions of authority and identity to broader questions of political symbolism, state formation, and the enduring intersections of religion and power in the region.

In the streets of Sana’a, the faithful still tie scraps of cloth to the tombs of saints, hoping for healing, fertility, peace, or protection from unseen forces. To some, these rituals are expressions of devotion; to others, they are examples of superstition cloaked in mysticism. This ambiguity is vivid in Yemen, a country defined by its conflicts of the 21st century and rich medieval history. There, Sufism and local beliefs have long intertwined in ways that challenge the boundaries between orthodoxy and the occult. 

The intersection of Sufism, superstition, and Islamic popular belief shows the complex but enduring feature of the Islamic intellectual landscape. Since the founding era of Islam and Kalam, the position of supernatural and mystic factors in Islam (Jinn, Karamat, amulets, etc.) has been argued within the bounds of orthodoxy and Sufism alike. These elements of mysticism are firmly embedded in early cosmology; their interpretation and legitimacy has varied across time and place, often falling under scrutiny by traditional scholars and reformists alike.

This project represents the culmination of a course centered on the theme of forbidden literature. Initially, I assumed the class would focus on widely recognized banned classics; titles like Animal Farm or Catch-22. Instead, the syllabus introduced us to works that have been so thoroughly suppressed they have all but vanished from mainstream discourse. Among them wereThe 120 Days of Sodom, The Anarchist Cookbook, The Original Bambi, and The Turner Diaries.

Rather than simply exploring censorship in principle, the course invited us to critically engage with the rationale behind banning literature; especially when the works in question have been actively excluded from public conversation with little protest. In the spirit of continuing that inquiry, I read The Industrial Society and Its Future, also known as the Unabomber Manifesto. The experience offered a disturbing yet illuminating window into Ted Kaczynski’s worldview and his profound anxieties surrounding technological advancement.

In my time at the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies I had the opportunity to work under Fatima Abo Alasrar and her team to support and conduct open source research on Yemen today. 

I started as a Research Associate for WCYS in August of 2024, shortly after Houthi rebels in Yemen became world news for their attacks in name of supporting the Palestinian cause. I quickly became familiar with the literature on Yemeni groups and the situation and learned everything I could from the team through daily briefings and weekly reports. 

Over the course of a year I had the opportunity to watch the situation develop and meet with key figures in the field to discuss. One of the reports I focused on at the beginning of Trump’s second term was the possibility of re-designating Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Awhile ago I had the opportunity to take a seminar class with two other students on cyber warfare and digital conflict in the modern age, looking back I’m struck by how much it challenged not only my technical understanding but also my assumptions about the nature of conflict in the digital age. I came into the course thinking mostly about hackers and firewalls, but I left with a much deeper awareness of how cyber operations shape global power dynamics, influence political stability, and raise difficult moral questions. Some of the most meaningful moments came during class discussions, when we debated the ethics of cyber retaliation or the gray areas of digital espionage. It made me think critically about the responsibilities of both individuals and nations in a world where the battlefield is no longer physical. One of the most thought-provoking parts of the class was learning about how countries like Iran have rapidly emerged as significant players in the cyber warfare landscape.