She completed her PhD in Religion, Politics, and Society from Baylor University in 2011. Her dissertation examined the applicability of moderation theory to Islamist groups. Dr. Wheatley’s research interests include democratization and the Arab Spring, the intersection of religion and politics and religion and violence, Islamism and Salafism, civil religion, and the sociology of religion. She has taught courses on the world’s religions, political thought, Middle Eastern politics, and the Arab Spring.