Areas of Expertise
- Persian and Arabic language and literature
- Gender studies
- Religion studies
- Mysticism
Zari Mahmoudi received her Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from The Ohio State University in Spring 2025. Her dissertation, Mystic Women and Chivalric Spirituality: Gendered Piety and Spiritual Authority in the Writings of Farīd al-Dīn ʿAṭṭār (ca. 1145–1221) and Jāmī (1414–1492), explores the representation of Sufi women in Persian mystical literature and the intersections of gender, spirituality, and textual traditions. She is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Comparative Studies and the Middle Eastern Center, where she also serves as Program Visibility and Education Lead, advancing community impact through strategic data visualization, storytelling, and program evaluation for diverse audiences including educators, students, diaspora communities, and local partners.