A historian of the medieval Persianate world, specialising in the social, economic, and cultural history of Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia. Lauréate de la Chaire et Professeur Junior in the Art and Heritage of Afghanistan at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco), Paris, and Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Invisible East Programme at the University of Oxford. Previously, lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Birmingham (2013-2019).
Alongside her research, she works with schools, museums, and cultural organisations to make the history of the Persianate world accessible to wider audiences. Before returning to academia, she worked as a civilian peacekeeper with the United Nations in post-conflict societies in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, an experience that continues to inform my interest in the relationship between history, cultural heritage, and contemporary society.