Using data sets and information from cell phones, Fotini Christia brings new insight to daily life in the Middle East.
A member of the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Fellow class, Fotini Christia has done extraordinary work looking at Shiite life from a unique viewpoint. By using the annual pilgrimage as a chance to collect data, she is providing a nuanced view of the diversity within the culture.
"We find that even these devout individuals express surprisingly diverse views on the proper relationship between religion and the state and are nearly divided on the perceived costs and benefits of democratic regimes."
Shiites are participating in the world’s largest pilgrimage today. Here’s how they view the world.