Nader Saiedi teaches Baha’i studies at UCLA. He was born in Tehran, Iran. He holds a master's degree in economics from Pahlavi University in Shiraz and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin.

For over 25 years he was a professor of sociology at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. In 2013, he became the Taslimi Foundation professor of  Baha'i History and Religion in Iran​.

His main interests include Babi and Baha’i studies, social theory, Iranian studies, and peace studies. Among his published books are: The Birth of Social Theory (1993), Logos and Civilization (2000), and Gate of the Heart (2008).