
Biography
Irum holds a master’s in Comparative Literature from SOAS, University of London, and a postgraduate certificate in Islamic Studies from the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) in the UK — both funded by scholarships from the IIS. She also holds a master’s in English Literature from the University of Karachi. Irum has previously taught undergraduate courses at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Greenwich University, and NED University of Engineering and Technology, in addition to teaching English language at the grade-school level. She served as the Undergraduate Program Director at IBA, where she worked closely with students to help them fulfill their graduation requirements and advised the Department of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts on curriculum enhancement. Moreover, at the IIS, she contributed to the research and digitization of primary and secondary curricula for Ismaili Muslim students.
Research Interests
Gender Studies, Feminist Fiction, South Asian Literatures in English and Urdu, Indigenous Progressive Movements, Museum Studies, Middle Eastern Literature and Film, Muslim Women's Writings, Historical Fiction, Humor Studies, Popular Media, Curriculum Design
Awards and Honors
Best Teacher Award (Institute of Business Administration)
Distinction in MA Comparative Literature (SOAS, University of London)
Funding for Postgraduate Studies in the UK (Institute of Ismaili Studies)
Graduate Program Scholarship (Institute of Ismaili Studies)
Distinction in MA English Literature (University of Karachi)
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program Scholarship (US Department of State)
Recent Publications
"Doing Feminism in a Rickshaw." Homespaces: Anthology by the Department of English Literature, University of Karachi. 2025. (Essay)
"Gendering the Pakistani Museum." The Knowledge Forum. 2024. (Essay)
"Excesses", "To Clim Atop The Promontory." Pandemonium Journal. 2023. (Poetry)
- https://pandemoniumjournal.com/excesses-by-irum-iqbal/
- https://pandemoniumjournal.com/to-climb-atop-the-promontory-by-irum-iqbal/
"Disembodied." Litbreak Magazine. 2021. (Poetry)
“Matrimony and Monarchy: The Failure of Bourbon-Habsburg Matrimonial Alliance.” Journal of History and Social Sciences, vol. 10, no. 2, 2020.
"Solitude." Zau Magazine. 2016. (Poem)