religious studies

Education

• Ph.D., Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
• M.A., Global and International Studies, Univeristy of California, Santa Barbara

Bio

Samaneh Oladi Ghadikolaei specializes in Islamic jurisprudence and family law, Middle East, and women’s studies. Prior to her arrival at VCU, she held appointments as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Bates College and a Teaching Associate at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dr. Oladi’s current research looks at the evolving roles of women as religious authorities and producers of Islamic knowledge, addressing how their scholarship challenges patriarchal interpretations of sacred scriptures.