Research and Academics
Sadaf Jaffer is a scholar with research interests in Islamic, South Asian and gender studies. Her current book project, entitled “Secularism, Sexuality and Islam: Ismat Chughtai’s Indian Muslim Progressivism,” elucidates alternative Muslim subjectivities through the lens of a prominent Urdu writer and cultural critic. Jaffer is currently a postdoctoral research associate in South Asian Studies at Princeton University where she teaches courses on Islam, South Asia and South Asian American studies. Prior to this appointment, she served as a postdoctoral fellow in Global Studies at Stanford University. Jaffer has published a paper in the Journal of Women’s History entitled “Women’s Autobiography in Islamic Societies: Towards a Feminist Intellectual History” in addition to posts on the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Huffington Post and the Altmuslimah blogs. She earned her bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and obtained her Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and civilizations from Harvard University with a secondary field in women, gender and sexuality studies.
education
Ph.D., Harvard University 2016
Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations: Indo-Muslim Culture Program
Secondary Field Certificate: Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality
Certificates, University of California, Berkeley Urdu Language Program 2006, 2007
Academic-year Advanced Urdu Language, American Institute of Indian Studies (Lucknow, India)
B.S., Georgetown University 2005
School of Foreign Service: Regional Studies of the Islamic World, cum laude with honors in major
Certificate: Muslim-Christian Understanding, Junior Year Abroad: American University in Cairo
professional appointments
Associate Research Scholar and Lecturer, Princeton University 2019-present
Program in South Asian Studies, Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Princeton University 2016-2019
Program in South Asian Studies, Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies
Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University 2015-2016
Literary Cultures of Muslim South Asia, Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies
publications
Books
Secularism, Sexuality, and Islam: Ismat Chughtai’s Indian Muslim Progressivism. Manuscript completed.
Journal Articles and Reviews
“Sacred Duty: Ismat Chughtai’s Cosmopolitan Justice between Islam and the Secular.” Manuscript in progress to be submitted to The Journal of South Asian Intellectual History.
“The Many Lives of Urdu: Language, Progressive Literature, and Nostalgia.” Manuscript in progress to be submitted to Modern Asian Studies.
Review of Racialized Bodies, Disabling Worlds: Storied Lives of Immigrant Muslim Women, by Parin Dossa, American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences vol. 26 no. 4 (Fall 2009): 129-130.
“Constructing Piety: A Closer Look at Farhat Hashmi’s Controversial Al-Huda Foundation.” Chowrangi (Fall 2005): 48-49.
Web-based Publications
“Biden is showing complete disregard for Arab and Muslim Lives.” (October 27, 2023).
“Reverse Robin Hood: N.J. tax plan robs the poor, gives to the rich.” (June 8, 2023).
“Finding Hope in Islamic History.” Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Notes (December 6, 2017).
awards, grants and fellowships
Champion of Equality Award, Oxfam America 2024
Next Generation Leadership Award, AAPI Victory Power Fund 2022
Evangelina Menendez Trailblazer Award, Kean University Human Rights Institute 2020
Political Partner, Truman National Security Project 2020
Trailblazer Award, Manavi: An Organization for South Asian Women 2019
Diversity and Inclusion Program Development Fellowship, Princeton University Graduate School 2017
Momina Cheema, AM ‘08 Memorial Graduate Research Fellowship, Momina Cheema Foundation 2013
Diversity and Inclusion Program Development Fellowship, Princeton University Graduate School 2017
Momina Cheema, AM ‘08 Memorial Graduate Research Fellowship, Momina Cheema Foundation 2013
Derek Bok Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University 2013
Derek Bok Certificate of Achievement in the Practice of Teaching, Harvard University 2012
South Asia Initiative (SAI) Graduate Student Associate Program, Harvard University 2011-2012
Duke Feminist Theory Conference Grant, Women, Gender and Sexuality, Harvard University 2011
FLAS Fellowship for Persian Language and Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University 2010-2011
Weatherhead Center Pre-Dissertation Grant, Harvard University 2010-2011
Summer FLAS Fellowship for Persian language study, University of Wisconsin-Madison 2009
Summer FLAS Fellowship for Persian Language Study, University of Chicago 2008
South Asia Initiative (SAI) Graduate Research Grant, Harvard University 2008
Urdu Language Program Fellowship for two years of study in Lucknow, India, UC Berkeley 2005-2007
Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Scholarship for History, UCLA 2004
Boren Scholarship for Arabic study and cultural immersion in Cairo, Egypt, NSEP-IIE 2003-2004
selected presentations
2024
“In the crosshairs: Women lawmakers disproportionately targeted with threats and harassment.” National Press Foundation, Washington DC.
Discussant for “First Conference of European Lady Imams.” European Development and Research Academy, Brussels, Belgium.
“Campaigning while Desi, Leading while Muslim: South Asian and Muslim Americans in Politics.” South Asian Studies Program, Rutgers University. New Brunswick, NJ.
2023
“Polarization and the Safety of Elected Officials.” Democracy and Polarization Summit, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield IL.
“Documented Presents: The Politics of Islamophobia.” The Texas Tribune Festival. Austin, TX.
“South Asian Solidarity.” Indian American Impact Project 2023 Summit, Washington DC.
“Think Globally, Act Locally: Representation, Belonging, and Research-Based Policymaking in New Jersey.” School of Public and International Affairs Dean’s Leadership Visitor, Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton New Jersey.
“From Princeton Classroom to New Jersey State House: AAPI Curriculum, Advocacy, and Legislation.” SMU AAPI Symposium, Dallas, Texas.
“Hate Symbols and Challenges to Solidarity in the US and India.” Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, Princeton, New Jersey.
2021
“Welcoming Afghan Refugees” Laaluanar Foundation, IILM Shia Center, Plano, Texas.
“Hum Kaghaz Nahin Dikhayenge: The anti-CAA movement, Urdu poetry, and Secularism.” The Annual Conference on South Asia, University of Wisconsin-Madison [Online].
“Garam Hawa / Scorching Winds and Muslim Identity in Post-Partition India.” SMU International Film Festival [Online].
2020
“US Election Special: Asian American and Muslim Women in Leadership.” Department of Political Science and Asian Studies, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA. [Online]
“Muslim, Woman, Scholar, and Mayor: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of Being a Representational Figure.” Federated Department of History, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ.
2019
“The Future is Feminist: Pakistan's Aurat March Movement as a Pilgrimage of Aspiration.” The Annual Conference on South Asia, Madison, WI.
Invited panel participant for “Housing, Health, and Equity: Government as a Site for Intersectional Justice.” The American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Commencement Speaker, Princeton University Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Graduation
2018
“The Obscenity of Everyday Life: Pleasures of Food and Sex in Ismat Chughtai’s Liḥāf.” The Annual Conference on South Asia, Madison, WI.
“Reading Disgraced in the Age of Trump: Critical Race Pedagogy, Representation, and the theory of Islamophobia as Racism.” American Comparative Literature Association Annual Meeting, University of California-Los Angeles, CA.
“The Ethical Zoroastrian: Transformation in the Autobiography of Dastur Dhalla.” Association for the Study of Persianate Societies Conference, Tbilisi, Georgia.
“Masculinity and Authenticity in the American Muslim Blogosphere.” Symposium on Muslim Masculinities at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Invited workshop participant for “Who Speaks for Islam?” Princeton University Muslim Life Program, Princeton, NJ.
2017
Roundtable participant for “Apology Accepted? Combatting Islamophobia without Sacrificing Critical Perspective in the Academy.” Middle East Studies Association, Washington, DC.
Co-organizer and presenter for “Half Moghul, Half Mowgli: A Conversation with Riz Ahmed on South Asian and Muslim Identity in Society and the Arts.” Princeton MLP, Princeton, NJ.
Invited workshop participant for “Covering Islam & Muslims: A Workshop for Journalists.” Princeton University Muslim Life Program, Princeton, NJ.
2016
“Ismat Chughtai between Progress & Nostalgia.” Conference on South Asia, Madison, WI.
“Good Beyond God: Pakistani Atheist Women Online.” The Muslim South Asia Research Forum Workshop on Negotiating Technologies, SOAS, University of London, UK.
Invited workshop participant for “Global Muslim Modernities and the Post-Secular.” Duke-UNC Islamic Studies Graduate Student Workshop, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
“Islam in South Asia though the Arts.” Stanford Institute on Islam, Stanford, CA.
2014
Invited workshop participant for “Genres of the Imaginaire: How Creativity Mediates Islam through Local Vernaculars,” part of a series entitled “Being Muslim: How Local Islam Overturns Narratives of Exceptionalism,” Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
“Pakistan/Blogistan: Utilizing Social Media for Feminist Intellectual History.” American Historical Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
2013
“Queer Feminism in Islamicate South Asia: Ismat Chughtai on Social Justice.” The Annual Conference on South Asia, Madison, WI.
“Feminist Theory: Social Media and South Asian Intellectual History.” Feminist Preconference to the Annual Conference on South Asia, Madison, WI.
“Zoroastrianism Beyond Blood: Dastur Dhalla’s Transformational Autobiography.” Celebrating a Treasure: 140 Years at the First Mehrjirana Library International Conference, Navsari, India.
2012
“Researching Life History in Mumbai.” SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, India.
2011
“Ismat Chughtai’s Call to Social Justice.” Women’s Autobiography in Islamic Societies: Representation and Identity Conference, American University in Sharjah, UAE.
Invited panelist for “Is the Global Narrative about Pakistan Fact or Fiction?” South Asia Initiative Pakistan Series, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
2010
“Dangerous Subjects: The Obscenity Trials of Ismat Chughtai & ‘John’ Radclyffe-Hall.” National Women’s Studies Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO.
“Ancient Hatreds? Questioning Identities in South Asia.” Currier House, Cambridge, MA.
selected university teaching
Princeton University, Instructor
Introduction to South Asian Studies
Islam in South Asia through Literature and Film
South Asian American Literature and Film
Stanford University, Instructor
Urdu Literature and Bombay Cinema
Harvard University, Teaching Fellow
Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies (Ali S. Asani, Extension School)
Modern India and South Asia (Sugata Bose and Amartya Sen, General Education)
Sex & the Citizen: Race, Gender & Belonging in the US (Caroline Light, General Ed.)
Introductory Urdu Hindi (Richard Delacy, Sanskrit and Indian Studies)
PROFESSIONAL AND UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Faculty Associate, M.S. Chadha Center for Global India, Princeton University 2020-Present
Member, Board of Trustees, New Jersey Council for the Humanities 2020-Present
Sisters on the Planet Ambassador, Oxfam America 2019-Present
Member, Community Leadership Council, Princeton University Art Museum 2019-Present
Executive Committee, Program in Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University 2019-Present
Advisory Board, America Indivisible 2019-Present
Professional associations
American Academy of Religion
Association for Asian Studies
American Comparative Literature Association
American Historical Association
Association for the Study of Persianate Societies
National Women’s Studies Association
languages
Urdu
Hindi
French
Persian
Arabic