Alexandre Papas is a Paris-based Research Professor affiliated with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). He specializes in the study of Islamic mysticism and Central Asia, with a focus on the 15th century to the present. He holds degrees in philosophy from Sorbonne University and diplomas in Persian, Turkish, and Mongolian from the Institute of Oriental Languages & Civilisations. He received his PhD in history from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in 2004 and was awarded the Institute for the Study of Islam and Societies of the Muslim World’s Best PhD Dissertation in 2006. Papas has been a Visiting Assistant Professor at Kyoto University, the Ohio State University, and the American University of Paris. He is also the co-editor of Brill’s Handbook of Sufi Studies series and executive editor of the Journal of Sufi Studies. Papas has published extensively on Islamic mysticism, saint veneration, and politico-religious issues in Central Asia, and has received numerous awards for his work, including the CNRS Bronze Medal for Modern History in 2012.