My primary research interests fall at the intersection of international and human security. I use field experiments, surveys, and big data to investigate the causes and consequences of contemporary international conflicts and how to promote human security and inter-group peace in conflict settings. My current book project investigates the coping function of religious traditions during wars. The book challenges the conventional wisdom and argues that there is a reverse causal relationship between religiosity and war. Building on psychological studies of religiosity, I theorize that wars cause death anxiety and a diminished sense of control, leading to heightened religiosity as a psychological coping response. The book’s first part utilizes a quasi-experimental design and a panel survey I ran in Afghanistan to test the theory. The survey documents a seventeen-percent increase in religiosity among civilians who had seen dead bodies or had a family member or relative killed or injured because of war-related violence. The second part tests the theory in the context of contemporary international conflicts. Analyzing internet searches in Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine, I show that there was an unprecedented spike in web searches for prayers after the start of recent wars in these countries.

The book’s third part answers the question of how effective religious traditions are, compared to secular interventions, in helping civilians cope with the adverse effects of war and displacement. To answer this question, the chapter presents the results of a randomized controlled experiment I ran in Turkey. For this experiment, I randomly assigned around 550 Afghan refugees to seven hours of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an Islamically integrated CBT (I-CBT), Islamic teachings on coping, or an awaiting control condition. Three to six weeks after the intervention, I-CBT and Islamic teachings were as effective as CBT in reducing the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Thirteen to sixteen weeks after the intervention, the effect of CBT and Islamic teachings faded while the impact of I-CBT persisted among those who were symptomatic at the baseline. The experiment was funded by J-PAL, IPA, ESOC, Bobst Center, and Princeton University.

My research is inspired and informed by my prior training in Islamic studies and eight years of fieldwork experience. Prior to starting university, I studied Islamic theology and jurisprudence for six years. I draw upon my Islamic studies to design field experiments and surveys that involve Muslim clerics and investigate the role of Islamic beliefs and practices in social and political life in Muslim societies. In addition, I have extensive fieldwork experience (five years in Afghanistan, one year in Iran, and two years in Turkey). In Afghanistan, I managed numerous field experiments and large-scale surveys. Working for the World Bank, I led the fieldwork for the impact evaluation of the World Bank’s NSP, NERAP, UCT, and TUP programs.

I enjoy walking, exercising, and playing with my two adorable sons in my free time. I also like traveling and visiting new places.