Frustrated magnetism provides fertile ground for discovering unusual quantum phases of matter. One of the most fascinating examples is the quantum spin liquid (QSL), a state that defies the conventional expectations of magnetism. Unlike ordinary magnets, where electronic spins align in regular patterns, QSLs remain disordered even at absolute zero, preserving all the symmetries of the system. Just as a liquid retains translational symmetry while a crystal breaks it, a QSL retains internal spin-rotation symmetry that conventional magnets break, making them the "liquids" of the magnetic world. But unlike ordinary liquids, where thermal fluctuations prevent ordering, QSLs remain disordered due to quantum fluctuations intrinsic to the system even at zero temperature. These states are topological phases of matter, characterized by long-range quantum entanglement and exotic, fractionalized excitations called spinons. These spinons interact via emergent gauge fields, giving rise to unconventional dynamics that differ from those in standard phases of matter.

In this talk, I will focus on a class of magnetic materials that are proximate spin liquids: although they order magnetically at low temperatures, they lie near a quantum phase transition into a true QSL. As a result, they display strong quantum fluctuations and puzzling experimental signatures that cannot be explained by traditional theories. I will show how these features can be naturally understood using the framework of the interacting Dirac spin liquid, a theoretical model where spinons behave like relativistic particles coupled to emergent electromagnetism in two spatial dimensions. I will then turn to another family of QSLs known as chiral spin liquids and describe how their transitions to more complex magnetic orders can be captured using the language of topological field theory. These findings shed light on the interplay between symmetry, topology, and quantum entanglement in frustrated magnets.