Sept. 2009, Anthropology Welcomes New Professor
Svetlana is a socio-cultural anthropologist and a scholar of Islam. Her research interests include histories of Muslim communities in different parts of the world (the US and Europe included); gender dynamic; Islamic transnational movements; globalization’s output on one’s identity formation and issues of representation of “the other.” Svetlana holds BA and MA (1995, 1996, Linguistics) from a State University in Russia (Pyatigorsk, Russia), MA (1999, Theological Studies) from Candler School of Theology at Emory University (Atlanta, GA), MA (2001, Television, Radio, and Film) from Newhouse School of Communications (Syracuse, NY), and Ph.D. (2006, Anthropology) from Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY). Her research focuses on Muslims in post-Soviet Central Asian States, specifically on Muslim women religious leaders. Svetlana published several articles about social movements, reproductive health, and cultural models. She co-directed and co-produced with M. DeBarra two short documentaries “Showsisters,” and “After 9/11.” She is currently working on two articles about anthropological treatment of Islamic education and one’s desire for leadership; and a book manuscript about Muslim women religious leaders in the Ferghana Valley (Uzbekistan).