Vali Reza Nasr (, born 20 December 1960) is an

Iranian-American Iranian-Americans, also known as Persian-Americans, are United States citizens or nationals who are of Iranian ancestry, or who hold Iranian citizenship. Most Iranian-Americans arrived in the United States after 1979, as a result of the Irani ...

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

and

political scientist Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

, specializing in Middle Eastern studies and the

history of Islam The history of Islam is believed, by most historians, to have originated with Muhammad's mission in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century CE, although Muslims regard this time as a return to the original faith passed down by the Abr ...

. He is Majid Khaddouri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

He served as the eighth dean of the school from 2012 to 2019. Nasr is also a Non-Resident Fellow in

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

Atlantic Council The Atlantic Council is an American think tank in the field of international affairs, favoring Atlanticism, founded in 1961. It manages sixteen regional centers and functional programs related to international security and global economic prosp ...

, and has been described by ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British newspaper published weekly in printed magazine format and daily on Electronic publishing, digital platforms. It publishes stories on topics that include economics, business, geopolitics, technology and culture. M ...

'' as "a leading world authority on

Shia Islam Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...

Biography

Vali Nasr, son of the Iranian academic, philosopher, and scholar of religion

Seyyed Hossein Nasr Seyyed Hossein Nasr (born April 7, 1933) is an Iranian Americans, Iranian-American academic, philosophy, philosopher, theology, theologian, and Ulama, Islamic scholar. He is University Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University. ...

, was born in

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

Imperial State of Iran Imperial is that which relates to an empire, Emperor, emperor/empress, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania ...

in 1960. He went to school in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

at age 16, and immigrated to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

after the Islamic Revolution in Iran (1979). He received his B.A. degree from

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, with additional facilities in Boston and Grafton, as well as Talloires, France. Tufts also has several Doctor of Physical Therapy p ...

international relations International relations (IR, and also referred to as international studies, international politics, or international affairs) is an academic discipline. In a broader sense, the study of IR, in addition to multilateral relations, concerns al ...

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

''. He earned his M.A. degree in

international economics International economics is concerned with the effects upon economic activity from international differences in productive resources and consumer preferences and the international institutions that affect them. It seeks to explain the patterns an ...

and Middle Eastern studies from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1984, then went on to earn his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

from the

MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences The MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) is one of the five schools of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US. The school includes 11 academic areas and works alongside six de ...

in 1991.

Career

He taught at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of

University of San Diego The University of San Diego (USD) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in San Diego, California, United States. Chartered in 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University ...

, and the

Naval Postgraduate School Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a Naval command with a graduate university mission, operated by the United States Navy and located in Monterey, California. The NPS mission is to provide "defense-focused graduate education, including clas ...

, and was a senior fellow at the Belfer Center at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, as well as

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

and

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...

prior to being appointed dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in March 2012. Nasr was a member of the

State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...

's Foreign Affairs Policy Board and served as senior advisor to the U.S. special representative for

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, between 2009 and 2011. He is a Life Member of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank focused on Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi ...

Publications

Nasr is a

by training and has focused on

comparative politics Comparative politics is a field in political science characterized either by the use of the '' comparative method'' or other empirical methods to explore politics both within and between countries. Substantively, this can include questions relat ...

and

of the Middle East. He is the author of several monographs on the study of Middle Eastern politics and societies, including ''The Vanguard of the Islamic Revolution: The Jama`at-i Islami of Pakistan'' (1994), ''Mawdudi and the Making of Islamic Revivalism'' (1997), ''The Islamic Leviathan'' (2001), ''Democracy in Iran'' (written with Ali Gheissari, 2006), ''The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future'' (2006), ''Meccanomics: The March of the New Muslim Middle Class'' (2010), ''Forces of Fortune: The Rise of the New Muslim Middle Class and What It will Mean for Our World'' (2010), and ''The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat'' (2013). Nasr's writing has addressed politics and Islamic activism in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

, and throughout the

Arab world The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...

. He has highlighted the role of states in the process of

Islamization The spread of Islam spans almost 1,400 years. The early Muslim conquests that occurred following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE led to the creation of the caliphates, expanding over a vast geographical area; conversion to Islam was boosted ...

throughout the history of the Middle East and the importance of sectarian identity in Middle-Eastern politics, including the growing importance of Shīʿa Islam and its relation to the politics of Iran and other Middle-Eastern countries following the

Islamic Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Im ...

(1978–1979) and the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

(2003–2011). His book ''Forces of Fortune: The Rise of the New Muslim Middle Class and What It will Mean for Our World'' (2010) focused on the importance of a new

middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. C ...

for the future of the Muslim world. He appeared on ''

The Daily Show ''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night talk and news satire television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central in the United States, with extended episodes released shortly after on Paramount+ ...

'' with Jon Stewart on 1 August 2006, 22 September 2009, and 25 April 2013. Due to the accuracy of his political predictions Nasr has been hailed as a "shrewd forecaster."

Personal life

Nasr is the son of

, a prominent Iranian academic, philosopher, and scholar of religion. He is married to a technology executive. They have two sons and one daughter.

Publications

* ''Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History'' (

Princeton University Press Princeton University Press is an independent publisher with close connections to Princeton University. Its mission is to disseminate scholarship within academia and society at large. The press was founded by Whitney Darrow, with the financial ...

, May 20, 2025) * ''Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat'' ( Doubleday, 2013) * ''Forces of Fortune: The Rise of the New Muslim Middle Class and What It will Mean for Our World'' ( Free Press, 2009), also published under the titles ''The Rise of Islamic Capitalism: Why the New Middle Class is Key to Defeating Extremism'' and ''Meccanomics: The March of the New Muslim Middle Class'' in the U.K. * ''The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam will Shape the Future'' ( W.W. Norton & Company, 2006) * ''Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty'' (coauthor,

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, 2006) * ''The Islamic Leviathan: Islam and the Making of State Power'' (Oxford University Press, 2001) * ''Mawdudi and the Making of Islamic Revivalism'' (Oxford University Press, 1996) * ''The Vanguard of the Islamic Revolution: The Jama`at-i Islami of Pakistan'' (

University of California Press The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by faculty ...

, 1994) * ''Oxford Dictionary of Islam'' (editor, Oxford University Press, 2003) * '' Expectation of the Millennium: Shi'ism in History'' (coeditor,

State University of New York Press The State University of New York Press (more commonly referred to as the SUNY Press) is a university press affiliated with the State University of New York system. The press, which was founded in 1966, is located in Albany, New York and publishe ...

, 1989) * ''The Arab Moment Has Passed'' from ''

Foreign Policy Foreign policy, also known as external policy, is the set of strategies and actions a State (polity), state employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, includ ...

'' * ''The Impact of the Pandemic on Geopolitical in the MENA Region'' from in ''Navigating the Pandemic: The Challenge of Stability and Prosperity in the Mediterranean'' '' MED'' * ''A Nuclear Deal Won’t Secure the Middle East, But Regional Cooperation Could, and Washington Should Support It'' from ''

Foreign Affairs ''Foreign Affairs'' is an American magazine of international relations and foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit organization, nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership or ...

'' * ''Iran Among the Ruins: Tehran’s Advantage in a Turbulent Middle East'' from ''

'' * ''Business, Not As Usual'' from '' Finance and Development'' * ''When Shiites Rise'' from ''

'' * "The Cost of Containing Iran" (coauthored with Ray Takeyh) from ''Foreign Affairs'' * "Who Wins in Iraq? Iran" from ''Foreign Policy'' * "The Rise of Muslim Democracy" from ''Journal of Democracy'' * "The Conservative Consolidation in Iran" from ''

Survival Survival or survivorship, the act of surviving, is the propensity of something to continue existing, particularly when this is done despite conditions that might kill or destroy it. The concept can be applied to humans and other living things ...

'' * "The Regional Implications of Shi'a Revival in Iraq" from '' The Washington Quarterly'' * "Iran’s Peculiar Election: The Conservative Wave Rolls On" from ''

Journal of Democracy The ''Journal of Democracy'' is a quarterly academic journal established in 1990 and an official publication of the National Endowment for Democracy's International Forum for Democratic Studies. It covers the study of democracy, democratic regi ...

'' * "The Democracy Debate in Iran" (coauthor) from '' Middle East Policy Journal'' * "Military Rule, Islamism, and Democracy in Pakistan" from '' The Middle East Journal'' * "Lessons from the Muslim World" from '' Dædalus''

References

External links

* *
Nasr's SAIS bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nasr, Vali 1960 births 20th-century American educators 20th-century Iranian educators 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam 21st-century American educators 21st-century Iranian educators 21st-century Muslim scholars of Islam Academics from Tehran Academics of Iranian descent American Islamic studies scholars American political scientists American Shia Muslims American writers of Iranian descent Exiles of the Iranian Revolution in the United States Harvard Fellows Harvard Kennedy School staff Historians of Afghanistan Historians of Iran Historians of Pakistan Historians of the Middle East Iranian emigrants to the United States Iranian expatriate academics in the United States Iranian historians of Islam Iranian political scientists Iranian Shia scholars of Islam Johns Hopkins University faculty Living people MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences alumni Muslim scholars of Islamic studies Naval Postgraduate School faculty The Fletcher School at Tufts University alumni The Fletcher School at Tufts University faculty Tufts University alumni

Biography

Career

Publications

Personal life

See also

Publications

References

External links