How would you describe your research in 1 or 2 sentences?  

My research focuses on the formation and transformation of Tajik Soviet literature from the early 1920s to the fall of the Soviet Union.  I examine how Tajik writers blended Soviet ideology with Persian-Tajik poetry, and the role of Tajik Soviet literature in fostering national identity.  

Can you explain a little further?  

Beginning in the 1920s, Tajik intellectuals and writers were encouraged to create a national literature which defined and fostered a specific Soviet Tajik identity.  As ethnic Persians, Tajik writers found it especially necessary, in embracing their new Soviet identity, to redefine their relationship with Iran. My research explores this relationship, and the effects of its continual redefinition, in works of poetry and prose, literary journals, and Tajik newspapers. From 2008-9, through a Fulbright grant, I conducted dissertation research in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.      

How did you decide to enter your field, and what brought you to your topic?  

In college, I fell in love with Russian literature and language.  In graduate school, I became interested in the relationship between Russian and  Persian literature, which ultimately led to a fascination with Tajikistan and its relationship to both of these cultures.  

Who is your Advisor? 

My dissertation advisor is Andrew Wachtel of the Slavic Languages and Literature department.    

What are your interests outside of research? 

I am an avid fan of the theater and in my free time I play the guitar. 

What are your future plans? 

Upon completing my dissertation and receiving my degree, I intend to enter academia and teach at a university.