Graduate Student
Saleha Anwar is a PhD student in Political Science at Boston University. She joined the program in the fall of 2024 after receiving an MA in Political Science from San Diego State University and an M.Phil. and BS (Hons) in Political Science from the University of the Punjab in Pakistan.
Saleha’s research interests lie at the intersection of Islamic piety, women’s agency, and political participation. She is particularly interested in exploring the following questions: How do pious Muslim women negotiate their agency in the context of electoral politics, where they are often expected to delegate their decision-making to male family members? What are the implications of this delegation of agency for women’s political empowerment and representation in Muslim societies? What are the possibilities for women’s empowerment and gender justice within Islamic frameworks, and how can these be realized in practice?
Throughout her academic career, Saleha has been recognized with prestigious awards and scholarships. At San Diego State University, she was awarded the Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship and the Political Science Terhune Scholarship, which supported her graduate studies. She passed her MA with distinction and received the Outstanding Comprehensive Exam Award in 2024.
Saleha occasionally writes for leading newspapers like Dawn on the question of women’s empowerment and agency.
Additional Information:
Curriculum Vitae