Christine Robins (formerly Allison) is Ibrahim Ahmed Professor of Kurdish Studies in the University of Exeter. A specialist on orality, memory and folklore, she is a newcomer to the world of the Mandaeans but has many years of experience in working with the Yezidi community of Iraq and the Caucasus, and close associations with projects dealing with Yezidis and with the Yaresan of Iran. The Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, Exeter is a known centre of excellence for studies on the Arab World and the Gulf, and hosts several wide-ranging religious studies projects on Islam and digital archive projects.
Albert de Jong is Professor of Comparative Religion in the University of Leiden and Academic Director of the Leiden Institute for Religious Studies. His approach to these religions attempts to combine historical scholarship with recent theoretical work in the academic study of religion. Mandaeaism has become increasingly prominent in his research, and he maintains good connections with various Mandaean organizations in the Netherlands and in Europe generally.
Yuhana Nashmi was born in Iraq and now lives in Australia. He has experience of recording rituals and interviewing priests about the tradition, and will be doing more fieldwork for our project.
Marta Marsano is a PhD researcher appointed to the project, who is doing fieldwork and filming rituals and interviews.
Advisory Board:
Professor Jorunn J. Buckley, Bowdoin College
Professor Charles G. Haberl, Rutgers University
Professor Carlo G. Cereti, Sapienza University of Rome
Professor Mehrdad Arabestani, University of Tehran