Assistant Professor
On research leave until spring 2026
Office: SH 222B
Email: [email protected]
Curriculum vitae

Education

Ph.D., Modern European History, University of California, Santa Barbara (2015)

M.A., International Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, University of Notre Dame (2006)

B.A., American Studies, American University of Central Asia (2004)

Zamira Abman is an Assistant Professor of History and European Studies at San Diego State University, where she also directs the Comparative International Studies Program. Her research areas include history of Soviet Central Asia, the Soviet Union, and Russia, with a focus on state-centered feminism in the former Soviet Union. Her book, Coerced Liberation: Muslim Women in Soviet Tajikistan, was published by the University of Toronto Press in 2024. In addition, her work is featured in The Palgrave Handbook of Soviet Women’s History.

Dr. Abman offers a broad array of interdisciplinary courses, including Soviet/Russian history, World History for Teachers, Capstone courses for seniors, World history, and Western Civilization. Before earning her Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Dr. Abman completed a B.A. in American Studies and International and Comparative Politics at the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. She later pursued a Master’s degree in International Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame. Her professional background includes extensive work with international NGOs such as the Carter Center and Counterpart International, where she contributed to development and peacebuilding initiatives in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Georgia, West Africa, and her native Central Asia.