Zahra S.A. Rafie

Zahra S.A. Rafie is an Iranian-British sociologist, educator, and activist whose work examines the intersections of gender, social theory, postcoloniality, and the politics of knowledge. She is Division Chair and Professor of Sociology at Northern Virginia Community College, where she advances decolonial and equity-centered approaches to teaching and curriculum development. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, an M.Phil. in Oriental and Islamic Philosophy and History from the University of Cambridge, and a B.A. (Hons.) in Sociology and Philosophy from Goldsmiths, University of London. Her scholarship explores the intersections of, gender, race, and power, with particular attention to Iran and the Global South. She is the author of Female Muslim Student Experiences in Higher Education: A Narrative Inquiry. She has collaborated with Amnesty International, UNICEF as well as non-governmental organizations advancing human rights and social justice. Her work is rooted in Marxist-feminist praxis, epistemic justice, and struggles against imperial forms of knowledge production.