Uniting
Research and Policy

Sanam Vakil is the Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. In this role, she spearheads research initiatives and provides expert analysis on political dynamics, conflicts, and socio-economic developments within the region.  

She is also the James Anderson Professorial Lecturer in the Middle East Studies department at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS Europe) in Bologna, Italy. Prior to this, she served as an Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at SAIS Washington. Her extensive academic career includes roles as a research associate at the Council on Foreign Relations and providing research analysis to the World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa department. 

Vakil holds a Ph.D. in International Relations and a Master’s degree in International Policy Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and History from Barnard College, Columbia University. Her scholarly work includes the book Action and Reaction: Women and Politics in Iran (Bloomsbury, 2013) and numerous articles analyzing Iran’s domestic and foreign policy, regional security, and the role of women in Middle Eastern societies. 

Vakil’s expertise is frequently sought by international media, where she provides commentary on major news outlets. Her dedication to enhancing understanding and crafting informed policy in the Middle East has earned her considerable respect and recognition in the field of international relations.