EDMUND A . WAL SH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSIT Y
Celebrating 20 Years of Building Bridges of Understanding
A N N UA L R E P O R T
2015–2016
ANNUAL REPORT 2015−2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS History and Mission .......................................................................................... 1 Academic Programs .......................................................................................... 2 Academic Council Members ................................................................................ 3 Center Faculty ................................................................................................ 4 Center Staff, Consultants, and Fellows .................................................................. 5 Visiting Researchers and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Scholars ....................................... 6 Center Courses................................................................................................ 7 Programs and Events ........................................................................................ 8
Year−End Faculty Reports Jonathan Brown, Director and Professor ............................................................ 17 John L. Esposito, University Professor and Founding Director ................................... 21 Yvonne Y. Haddad, Professor of the History of Islam and Christian−Muslim Relations ....... 28 Tamara Sonn, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor, History of Islam ......................... 31 John O. Voll, Professor Emeritus of Islamic History ............................................... 33 Norbani Ismail, Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia ........................................ 37 Emad El-Din Shahin, Distinguished Visiting Chair of Arabic & Islamic Studies ................. 38 Engy Abdelkader, Senior Fellow & Adjunct Faculty ............................................... 41 Shireen Hunter, Visiting Professor .................................................................... 45 Amb. Ebrahim Rasool, Distinguished Scholar in Residence ....................................... 46
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HISTORY AND MISSION The Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, renamed The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) in 2006, was founded in 1993 by an agreement between the Fondation pour l'Entente entre Chretiens et Musulmans, Geneva and Georgetown University to build stronger bridges of understanding between the Muslim world and the West as well as between Islam and Christianity. In 2006, the Center was renamed The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in recognition of a generous gift from Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to guarantee the future of the Center and to support its mission and activities. The Center’s mission is to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West and enhance understanding of Muslims in the West by addressing stereotypes of Islam; warnings of a clash of civilizations; and questions regarding the compatibility of Islam and modern life, from democratization and pluralism, to the status of women, minorities, and human rights. Since the renaming of the Center in 2006 through the end of the 2015−2016 Academic Year, Center faculty have published 66 books and monographs, 672 articles and chapters, given 1285 presentations outside of the classroom, and participated in 1245 media interviews. During that time the Center has organized and run over 365 programs, issued five new installments of its Occasional Papers series, and hosted 53 fellows and researchers from Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom and the USA. In the 2015−2016 Academic Year, ACMCU faculty published 10 books, 69 articles and chapters, gave 134 presentations outside of the classroom and participated in 52 media interviews. The Center’s goals, both national and international in scope, are achieved through teaching, publications, media interviews, consulting, symposia, briefings, and international conferences. In the 2014-2015 Academic Year, ACMCU hosted 28 conferences, meetings and symposia. That same year, ACMCU offered 16 courses for both undergraduate and graduate students, comprised of 190 students, and advised or mentored 25 independent studies and theses. In addition, Center faculty members serve as consultants to government leaders, diplomats, policymakers, corporate executives, and members of the media.
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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS The Center currently offers one academic program: Certificate Program in Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations The certificate program is a defined, but flexible academic program for undergraduate students in the School of Foreign Service. To obtain the certificate, students must complete two foundation courses, three elective courses, and complete advanced research in one capstone course. The program has completed its eighteenth year, with 1 student receiving a certificate in 2016.
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ACMCU ACADEMIC COUNCIL 2015–2016 Sulayman Nyang
Ingrid Mattson
Professor, Department of African Studies Howard University
London and Windsor Community Chair in Islamic Studies Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario
Asma Afsaruddin Professor, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures Indiana University
Juan Cole Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History University of Michigan Rosalind Hackett Professor and Department Head of Religious Studies University of Tennessee Scott Alexander Associate Professor of Islamic Studies Director Catholic-Muslim Studies Program Catholic Theological Union
Intisar Rabb Professor of Law and Faculty Director Islamic Legal Studies Program Harvard University
Natana DeLong-Bas Assistant Professor of the Practice Theology Department & Islamic Civilizations and Societies Program Boston College
Thomas Michel, S.J. Special Representative of the President in Italy Office of the President Georgetown University
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CENTER FACULTY Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Professors Jonathan A.C. Brown Director and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Chair of Islamic Studies
John L. Esposito University Professor and Founding Director
Yvonne Y. Haddad Professor of the History of Islam and Christian−Muslim Relations
Tamara Sonn Al-Thani Professor in the History of Islam
John O. Voll Professor Emeritus of Islamic History
Full Time Professors Norbani Ismail Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia
Emad Shahin Hasib Sabbagh Distinguished Visiting Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies
Other Affiliates Engy Abdelkader Senior Fellow (Faculty) & Adjunct Professor
Shireen T. Hunter Visiting Professor
Amb. Ebrahim Rasool Distinguished Scholar in Residence
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CENTER STAFF Christine Kidwell Associate Director
Kevin Pruyn Program Coordinator
Aamina Shaikh Executive Assistant
Kristin Garrity Sekerci Acting Executive Assistant
CONSULTANTS Susan Douglass ACMCU Education Consultant
FELLOWS Margot Badran
Ibrahim Kalin
Senior Fellow; Independent Scholar
Senior Fellow; Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey
Osman Bin Bakar Senior Fellow; Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur; Deputy CEO, International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies, Malaysia
Dan Madigan
Heba Raouf Ezzat
Senior Fellow; Woodstock Theological Center at Gerogetown University
Visiting Senior Fellow; Professor, Department of Political Science, Cairo University; Affiliated Professor, American University in Cairo (AUC)
Imtiyaz Yusuf Senior Fellow; Program Director, Dept of Religion, Graduate School of Philosophy and Religion, Assumption University
Senior Fellow; Associate Professor, Theology Department
Thomas Michel, S.J.
Iqbal Unus Visiting Fellow; Advisor, The Fairfax Institute, International Institute of Islamic Thought; Visiting Research Associate, AVACGIS, George Mason University
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VISITING RESEARCHERS Nigar Babayeva Marmara University, Istanbul
Xu Ma Kunming Medical University, China
Kamuran Gökdağ Mardin Artuklu University
Muhammad Rafique National Defense University, Islamabad
Banu Gürer Marmara University, Istanbul
Fevzi Rencber Sirnak University, Sirnak
Nahid Afrose Kabir University of South Australia, Australia
Erdoan A. Shipoli Fatih University, Istanbul
Mustafa Macit Karagözoğlu Marmara University, Istanbul
Denitsa P. Sokolova-Shipoli Fatih University, Istanbul
Nur Laiq United Kingdom
Charles Weller Washington State University
PRINCE ALWALEED BIN TALAL SCHOLARS Rahel Fischbach Georgetown University
Tuve B. Floden Georgetown University
Sohrab Ghassemi Georgetown University
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ACMCU COURSES 2015−2016 Fall 2015 • The Islamic World, Tamara Sonn (HIST 109) • Proseminar: Islam & the West, Tamara Sonn (INAF 100) • Arab Intellectuals in the Modern World, Yvonne Haddad (HIST/INAF 564) • Shariah Law, Jonathan Brown (INAF 417) • Muslims and non-Muslims in the Middle East, Yvonne Haddad (INAF 420) • Future of Islam and Politics in the Middle East, Emad Shahin (INAF 488)
Spring 2016 • Islam and Women, Tamara Sonn (INAF 432) • Modern Muslim Thinkers of South Asia, Tamara Sonn (INAF 408) • Muslim Women and the West, Yvonne Haddad (INAF 397/HIST 367) • Sayyid Qutb & Islamic Extremism, Yvonne Haddad (INAF/HIST 569) • Tradition and Modernity in Southeast Asian Islam, Jonathan Brown (INAF/THEO 427) • Masters of Late Ottoman Scholarship, Jonathan Brown (INAF/ARAB 527) • Religious, Political & Social Movements in Modern SE Asia, Norbani Ismail (INAF 595) • International Human Rights Law and Terrorism, Engy Abdelkader (INAF 546) • Contemporary Issues in Islam in Politics, Emad Shahin (MAAS 544) • Dynamics of Transformation in the Middle East, Emad Shahin (MAAS 625)
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ACMCU PROGRAMS AND EVENTS September 9, 2015—Panel: “Islam & Gay Marriage in the US” with Asma Uddin, Muqtedar Khan and Daayiee Abdullah. Gay marriage and the issue of homosexuality overall continue to be controversial in the US, raising important questions about the role of government in private life and the tension between offering equal protection before the law and respecting the freedom of religion. This panel offered different perspectives on Islam's approach to homosexuality and the way in which Muslims in the US understand the legal and social issue of gay marriage. September 23, 2015— "American Foreign Policy and Christians in the Middle East: Modern Roots" with Karine Walther ("Christians in the Levant and American Foreign Policy" three-day program). In 1914, after the Ottoman Empire joined the axis powers, German leaders convinced Ottoman rulers to declare a “Holy War” that sought to incite colonial subjects in European territories to rebel against their colonial rulers. The holy war call went out in the first weeks of November 1914 and targeted over 130 million Muslim subjects living under French, British and Russian imperial rule. These colonial territories stretched from South Asia to North Africa, including Egypt, Persia, and the Muslim populations of the Russian Empire. Although the United States was still officially neutral in the war, some Americans worried that this call for a unified Muslim rebellion would incite Muslim subjects in their own colonial territories in the Philippines to rebel against American rule. Having just recently succeeded in ending its protracted war against Filipino Muslim insurgents the previous year, Americans both in the Philippines and in the United States were particularly sensitive to any threats to this precarious and newly-won peace. This talk examined these reactions but also analyzed how these concerns drew American imperial rulers into larger global discussions about Islam, empire, selfdetermination, global security, pan-Islamism, and Orientalist narratives of difference. This talk concluded by analyzing how such historical fears came back to resonate once again as Americans feared that Filipino Muslims were contributing to international terrorism in the period after 9/11. It also analyzed the links between earlier and later global discussions of imperial rule over Muslims, surveillance, and the global “threat” of pan-Islamism. September 24, 2015—Dr. John L. Esposito celebration: reception and dinner. Dr. John L. Esposito has made it his life’s work to build bridges of understanding between people of all faiths, spending countless years as a mentor and educator for many. His creation of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in 1993 has done much to strengthen interreligious dialogue and further education on Islam. We thank him for his extensive contributions to Georgetown
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University and his creation of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. We are forever grateful for all his efforts. September 25, 2015—Panel "Christians in the Holy Land" with Jonthan Kuttab & Naim Ateek. ("Christians in the Levant and American Foreign Policy" three-day program). In the endless stream of coverage on the Israel/Palestine conflict, Palestinian Christians receive scant attention. This is surprising in light of the overall concern for Christians in the Middle East in American society and politics. This panel featured prominent Palestinian Christian leaders who discussed the condition of those descendants of the original followers of Christ who remain in the holy land. September 25, 2015—Cosponsored event: "African World Leaders and Scholars: "African Renaissance and Afro-Arab Spring" with Charles Villa-Vicencio, Ebrahim Rasool, Fathali Moghaddam, Ibrahim Sharqieh, & Scott Taylor. Cosponsored with the President’s Office, ACMCU, The Berkley Center, Conflict Resolution, & World For All Foundation. "Anyone who wants to understand what is going on in Africa today needs to read this book. The birth of the African Renaissance and the Afro-Arab Spring has projected hope and produced its disappointments. The continent's future is uncertain. I suggest, however, that future generations will look back to this time as a crucial turning point in African and global politics. This book plumbs the depths of Africa's quest for rebirth, often against overwhelming forces of resistance—with tentacles reaching deep into the West, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, and elsewhere." –Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus, Cape Town, South Africa September 28, 2015 "Christians in Contemporary Syria: What does Minority Mean?" with Najib George Awad ("Christians in the Levant and American Foreign Policy" three day program). In light of the present barbaric violence and drastically destructive war that devastates Syria and Iraq by the Syrian regime, on one side, and all kinds of Islamist jihadi phalanges, on another, many local Middle Easterners and Western decision-takers and opinion-makers call for protecting the minorities in the region and encourage them to form a united front of ‘alliance of minorities’ to defend themselves and grant their survival in the region. In this presentation, Dr. Awad attempted to pause at the use of the term ‘minority’ and scrutinized its factual meaning in the light of the real context that originated the revolution in Syria. He demonstrated that in the Syrian sitz im leben, the notion of ‘minority’ is definitely neither numerical nor confessionalist in nature. It is the outcome of a minoritization policy that was exerted on Syria by the ruling regime. In the light of perceiving the ‘policy of minoritization’,
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which Dr. Awad shed light on, he ended the presentation with an assessment of the ‘alliance of minorities’ trend that stems out of the above-mentioned call for protecting the minorities, calling the Christians and other minorities in the region to avoid this trend and beware of its dire danger. October 1, 2015 —Briefing “Debating the 2015 Islam-Law. Between Legal Recognition and Islamophobia” with Farid Hafez. Austria was the first Western European country to legally recognize Islam in 1912 and was for a long time known for its tolerant policies towards the Muslim community. After 9/11, the far right discovered the topic of Islamophobia and used it strategically in election campaigns. When the 1912 Islam-law was renewed in 2015, the dominant Islamophobic discourse had made its imprint on public debates about the 2015 Islamlaw. In this talk, Farid Hafez gave an overview over the most contested issues throughout the debate, the various stances of the parties in power and in opposition as well as the many possible implications of the law for the future of the Austrian Muslim community. October 5, 2015 —Briefing "Rais Bhuiyan: A World Without Hate" with Rais Bhuiyan. Rais Bhuiyan is a peace activist and an IT professional. His life was unimaginably changed after 9/11 when he was attacked by a lone gunman seeking revenge for a crime committed by someone else. Rather than seek his own retribution, Rais decided to end the cycle of violence and hate. Rais devotes much of his time to touring the globe giving talks about the regenerative power of forgiveness in pursuit of a world without hate. His amazing story is told in the New York Times bestseller True American. A film adaptation of this story starring Tom Hardy and directed by Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow is currently in production. October 14, 2015—Briefing "Islam in Turkey: the Case of Said Nursi" with Dr. Faris Kaya. In his presentation, Dr. Kaya began with a short introduction to the life of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1876-1960) and the historical context in which he lived and wrote his magnum opus the Risale-i Nur, a thematic commentary on the Qur’an. This was followed by presenting Nursi’s perspective on living in a secular environment as an observant Muslim, his understanding of jihad, political Islam, and Christian-Muslim relations. Finally, Dr. Kaya focused on the legacy of Nursi in Turkey and around the globe. October 30, 2015—Book talk: "Interpreting Islam, Modernity, and Women's Rights in Pakistan" with Dr. Anita Weiss. In Pakistan, myriad constituencies are grappling with reinterpreting women's rights. This book analyzes the Government of Pakistan's construction of an understanding of what constitutes women's rights, moves on to address traditional views and
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contemporary popular opinion on women's rights, and then focuses on three very different groups' perceptions of women's rights: progressive women's organizations as represented by the Aurat Foundation and Shirkat Gah; orthodox Islamist views as represented by the Jama'at-iIslami, the MMA government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2002-08) and al-Huda; and the Swat Taliban. Author Anita M. Weiss analyzed the resultant "culture wars" that are visibly ripping the country apart, as groups talk past one another - each confidant that they are the proprietors of culture and interpreters of religion while others are misrepresenting it. November 12, 2015 —HarperCollins Publishing Book Launch of The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary. Drawn from a wide range of traditional Islamic commentaries, including Sunni and Shia sources, and from legal, theological, and mystical texts, The Study Quran conveys the enduring spiritual power of the Quran and offers a thorough scholarly understanding of this holy text. With an introduction by its general editor, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, The Study Quran is a nearly 2,000-page, continuous discussion of the entire Quran that provides a comprehensive picture of how this sacred work has been read by Muslims for over 1,400 years. November 14, 2015 —“Post-modern Muslim Feminism: A Journey In Female Spiritual Leadership” with Usthadha Tahera Ahmad. Cosponsored with Georgetown University Muslim Life. Ustadha Tahera Ahmad reflected on the challenges of female spiritual leadership and her narrative as a Millenial Muslim activist. November 17-19, 2915—Saudi Scholar Meeting. Meeting with Saudi Scholars, via State Department sponsored program. November 19, 2015—Bridge Initiative Program: “American Muslims: Facts vs. Fiction Film Premiere and Panel Discussion” with Dalia Mogahed, John Esposito, Tarek El-Messidi, Linda Sarsour & Alex Kronemer. Unity Productions Foundation (UPF), in partnership with the Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University, hosted a panel and film screening that looked at the growing Islamophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the US election season and beyond. From Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson’s statement that American Muslims should take loyalty oaths, to the planned anti-Muslim rallies in over twenty cities, Islamophobic statements and sentiment have managed to capture attention and cause alarm on near a weekly basis. This event showcased a new 11-minute film produced by UPF entitled, American Muslims: Facts vs. Fiction which presents groundbreaking research from public opinion surveys and studies of
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the American Muslim community. The event also launched a nationwide set of screening events with the film at different universities and communities, and panelists were asked to reflect on proactive strategies Americans can use to respond to this rising Islamophobia. November 23, 2015—“Live Calligraphy and Exhibition” with Master Haji Noor Deen. Cosponsored with Georgetown University Arabic Department, Arab Society, Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Center for Muslim Christian Understanding, and Muslim Life. Fusing Arabic and Chinese styles, Chinese-Muslim calligrapher Haji Noor Deen is considered one of the greatest living masters of Islamic calligraphy. December 2, 2015—“Berets are OK, Headscarves are Not: How French Cultural Norms Distort Religious Freedom” with Rim-Sarah Alouane. Relations between the French state and public visibility of religion, particularly Islam, became openly confrontational in the late 1980s with the infamous “headscarf affair” in public schools, where Muslim students were expelled from school for wearing a hijab (Islamic headscarf). With respect to public displays of religion, the initial response of public authorities was a lenient application of laïcité towards the general public but a rigid one towards civil servants. In the 2000s, there were escalating public struggles between public manifestations of religious affiliation and politicians increasingly fighting for a restrictive application of laïcité that regards religious displays as a violation of public order. This increasing politicization of laïcité, where religious freedom was seen as an assault on cultural and republican values, has resulted in a toughening of the legislative speech on religious signs, particularly against Muslims who were seen as more openly violating French cultural norms. While restrictions of expression of religious affiliation of students began in public schools, we are now observing an extension of this control to people in public spaces. This expansion of repressive policies will end badly not only for Muslim minorities in Europe, but also the overall legitimacy and integrity of modern European liberal values. January 27, 2016: "ISIS vs. Al-Qaeda: What's the Difference and Does it Matter?" with Prof. Dan Byman. Cosponsored with the Center for Security Studies. Although the Islamic State and Al Qaeda both grew out of the broader jihadist movement, their objectives, strategies, and organizational structure differ considerably. Professor Daniel Byman contrasted the two organizations as a way of understanding the terrorism threat today. February 4, 2016—Video premiere: “Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration, and Identity”. Cosponsored with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. A film screening in the Healey Family Student Center Social Room with Ambassador Akbar Ahmed & Professor Tamara Sonn.
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February 10, 2016—briefing: “The War Against ISIS and the Emerging Taliban Threat” with Nancy Youssef. In today's modern wars, there are no front lines. Rather, wars are fought in cities, in the sky, and with secretive forces. How can the public better understand the wars we cannot see? And what does it mean for reporters when they have to follow battle lines that have become blurs within communities? February 24, 2016—book talk “The State and Muslim Minorities Today: Lessons from Europe, Africa and Asia” with Robert Mason. To mark the launch of Muslim Minority - State Relations: Violence, Integration and Policy, Dr. Robert Mason discussed the most pertinent lessons from Europe, Africa and Asia. His frame of reference is taken from work with leading scholars on case studies as diverse as the UK, Austria, Kenya, Russia, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, each highlighting areas of either best practice in state - Muslim community relations or contentious issues which have yet to be resolved. His remarks were made within the context of often ill-informed or divisive responses to violent Islamist attacks, the international refugee crisis driven by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the alleged 'Islamization' of western societies propagated by some leading political and media figures and far-right groups. March 2, 2016—briefing: “Double-Truth and its Discontents? Ibn Taymiyya and the Pragmatics of Late-Abbasid Ḥanbalī Hermeneutics” with Dr. Rodrigo Adem. The Ḥanbalī school of Islamic legal interpretation is most commonly associated with theological "literalism." However, this characterization fails to acknowledge key developments in the history of Islamic theology to which Ḥanbalī theology was not impervious. Most central here are contentions on the pragmatics of human communication and divine revelation as formulated in the discourse of uṣūl al-fiqh and kalām: The implications of such discursive turns for late Abbasid Ḥanbalism provide a window into understanding controversial theologian Ibn Taymiyya's break with that school and his supposed "rejection of metaphor" in language. As can be shown, rather than reject metaphor, Ibn Taymiyya argued for the incoherence of "literal meaning" as semantic category. This lecture reoriented understanding of Ibn Taymiyya's thesis with broader reference to Muslim social and intellectual history, as well as the controversy of "double-truth" in its Islamic context. March 15, 2016—panel: “Islamic Political Though after the Arab Spring” with Emad Shahin, Andrew March and Usaama al-Azami. In the roughly two decades prior to the Arab Spring in 2011, Muslim clerics, intellectuals and political activists had developed frameworks for envisioning and explaining the relationship (actual and desired) between Islam, the state and society. These frameworks were often in competition, but by 2011 they had all
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become standard features of Islamic political thought. The Arab Spring of 2011-13 exploded this stasis, inverting power relationships and making the theoretical seem possible. The sudden collapse of the Arab Spring and the violence and repression that have dominated many Arab states since has again shocked the manner in which the political is perceived. This panel explored how Muslim scholars, intellectuals and activists have sought to reconstitute or adapt their conceptualizations of Islam and the state since the dramatic end of the Arab Spring. March 17, 2016—panel: "The Myth of a Universal Islamic State" with Mohammad Shafi. The concept of an ideal, universal “Islamic State” has been in existence for a long time. Religious reformers in countries as diverse as Egypt, India and Indonesia have advocated for the establishment of Islamic states during the twentieth century. The acquisition of territory in Iraq and Syria by ISIL, (also known as ISIS or Daesh), in 2015 has brought the issue increasingly to our collective thoughts and to media headlines. This group’s claims are often presented by diverse media outlets and others, including academics, as an established fact in Islam. Such presentations give a monopolistic legitimacy to groups such as ISIL (or ISIS) and lock out traditional religious views and historical realities from the public square. April 6, 2016—briefing: “Mecca, Its Description and Sovereignty in the SixteenthCentury Indian Ocean: Jar Allah Ibn Fahd and His The Best of Joy of the Time for the Construction of Mecca by the Kings of the Ottoman Dynasty” with Guy Burak. In 1542, a quarter century after the Ottoman conquest of the Arab lands, the famous Meccan jurist and chronicler Jār Allāh Muḥammad Ibn Fahd (d. 1547 or 1548) completed a fairly short and quite unique work devoted to the construction projects the Ottoman sultans, the new “Custodians of the Two Holy Mosques,” undertook in Mecca since the Ottoman conquest of the city. Ibn Fahd, however, was not the only author who wrote about the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina. The renowned author Muḥyī’l-Dīn Lārī (d. ca. 1526) wrote about the pilgrimage (ḥajj) and the Ḥaramayn for the Gujarti sovereign Muẓaffar Shāh II (r. 1511-1526). By looking at these texts and their circulation, this talk explored the interplay between political claims over the Ḥaramayn, the physical construction projects, and their representations across the Indian Ocean, from Istanbul to Gujarat, in the first half of the sixteenth century. More specifically, the talk examined the relationship between the political reorganization of the Indian Ocean in that period and the emergence of new pietistic and visual sensibilities across the Ocean. April 13, 2016—briefing: “Religious Relationships in South Asia - A Bird's Eye-View” with Fr. Vincent Sekhar, SJ. Fr. Vincent, S.J., of the Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions at Loyola College in Chennai, India, explored the complexity of relationships among diverse religious communities in India, including Hindu, Muslim, Jain, and Christian, through
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the lens of recent events. He also discussed how attitudes have changed and identities have formed and solidified, as well as the challenges of dialogue and hopes for building bridges. April 14, 2016—panel discussion: “Race, Religion and U.S. Presidential Politics,” a Bridge Initiative event. The 2016 U.S. Presidential election cycle is shaping up to be one of the most divisive in recent history, fueled by alarmingly irresponsible rhetoric. Traditionally, discussion of race and religion in the context of U.S. presidential politics revolves around candidates' individual faith choices and perhaps, aspects of their racial or ethnic identity. Currently, however, politics targets American voters and others based on race and religion. The dangerous normalization of Islamophobia - at a time when American Muslims, South Asians and Arab Americans struggle with hate crimes, employment discrimination and bias-based bullying is arguably one of the most pernicious resulting outcomes. A diverse panel of experts explored this intersection and discussed how these issues are used and misused, today. April 19, 2016—briefing: “Family Does Matter: Muslim – Non-Muslim Kinship Ties in the Early and Classical Islamic Periods” with Uriel Simonsohn. Images of religiously-mixed family ties in the early Islamic period, specifically of ties that endured the religious conversion of a family member or the choice of individuals to marry outside the confessional fold, tend to remain on the margins of historical records. In turn, modern scholars have been inclined to conclude that religious conversion to Islam and religiously exogamous marriages resulted in the severance of family ties and communal bonds. Moreover, this notion of separation finds support in the ideals and legal principles that dominate the narratives and legal records composed by those who sought to sustain communal demarcations, namely communal authorities of discrete religious affiliations. In his talk, Dr. Simonsohn discussed cases of religiously-mixed family ties as they show up in early Islamic narratives of diverse kind and diverse confessional provenance. Dr. Simonsohn’s aim was to elucidate not only an historical phenomenon, but also to contemplate the endurance of family ties despite the privileged image of communal affiliations. April 20, 2016—roundtable lunch: “Turquoise Mountain: Artists Transforming Afghanistan.” Featuring Afghan artisans from the Turquoise Mountain exhibit at the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery. Cosponsored by Georgetown University's Center for MuslimChristian Understanding, the U.S. Afghan Women's Council and the Berkeley Center. The Turquoise Mountain Institute is Afghanistan's premiere arts vocational training institution, giving students a world class education in woodwork, ceramics, jewelry and gem-cutting, calligraphy and miniature painting. Afghan jeweler Saeeda shared her story of finding her voice, passion and purpose amid chaos and uncertainty.
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JONATHAN A.C. BROWN Director of ACMCU Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization
TEACHING ACTIVITY Fall INAF 417: Shariah & Its Discontents
Spring INAF 427: Tradition & Modernity in SW Asian Islam (co-taught with Norbani Ismail) INAF/ARAB 527: Masters of Late Ottoman Thought
Advising and Mentoring PhD committee member: Abdul-Rahman Mustafa (Islamic Studies, GU) PhD committee member: Miloud Amine Tais (Islamic Studies, GU) PhD committee member: Tuve Floden (Islamic Studies, GU) Undergraduate Advising: Amin Gharad (Coll. Honors Thesis advisor, Spring 2016)
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Books Published during 2015−2016 • Hadis (Sarajevo: Biblioteka Posebna Izdanja, 2016) Bosnian translation
Books and Articles in Press Books • Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World (Oneworld, forthcoming), revised and expanded edition Articles • “Scripture, Legal Interpretation and Social Praxis in the Islamic Tradition: The Cases of Polygamy and Slavery,” in Legal Status of Religious Minorities in the Medieval Christian and Islamic World, ed. John Toland (Brussels: Brepols, forthcoming).
Current Publishing Projects • Editor in Chief, Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam & Law
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• Jonathan AC Brown & Guy Burak, Justice and Islamic Law: Mazalim Courts, the Ulama and Legal Reform
Book Chapters • “Reaching into the Obscure Past: The Islamic Legal Heritage and Legal Reform in the Modern Period,” in Reclaiming Islamic Tradition: Modern Interpretations of the Classical Heritage, ed. Elisebeth Kendell and Ahmad Khan, p. 100-135 (Edinburgh U. Press, 2016). • “A Segment of the Genealogy of Sunni Hadith Criticism: The Mysterious Relationship between al-Khatib al-Baghdadi and al-Hakim al-Naysaburi,” in The Heritage of Arabo-Islamic Learning, ed. Maurice Pomerantz and Aram Shahin, 249-57 (Leiden: Brill, 2015).
Newspaper and Web Articles • June 30, 2015 “How Islam Really Views Homosexuality,” Variety Magazine • March 9, 2016 “How Much Does Islamic Law Change When Customs Change?,” at SOAS University of London Muslimwise blog • April 6, 2016 “Rethinking Language: ‘Islamism’ as a Dirty Word,” Brookings Rethinking Political Islam Project
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • May 14, 2016 Invited participant, Islamic Law and Society Workshop, New York University, New York, NY • May 5, 2016 “Misquoting Muhammad,” Cambridge Muslim College, Cambridge, UK • May 5, 2016 “Hadith Studies: The State of the Field,” Oxford University Faculty of Oriental Studies, Oxford, UK • April 15, 2016 “Misconceptions about the Shariah,” University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY • April 7, 2016 Invited Participant, Sunni-Shiite Dialogue, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. • April 1, 2016 “The Message of Peace, Spread by the Sword?,” University of Maine, Bangor, Bangor, ME • February 29, 2016 “Is there Justice Outside of God’s Law: Making Sense of the Boundaries of the Shariah,” Annual MAS Abdel Haleem Honorary Lecture, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, UK • February 14, 2016 “Islamophobia from the Islamic Perspective,” Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN • January 14, 2016 “Cartoons and Lampoons: Defining the Boundaries of Political Satire and Prophetic Love,” University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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• October 27, 2015 “Freedom of Speech in Islam and the West,” 2nd Annual Siddiqi Lecture in Islamic Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN • October 9-10, 2015 “The Mechanics of Legal Reform in the Pre-Modern and Modern Periods,” conference on Reform of Islamic Law, University of Tübingen, Germany
MEDIA July 5, 2016 “Monday’s Attack on Medina ‘An Attack on the Soul of the Muslim World’,” on All Things Considered, NPR July 3, 2016 Cited in Ben Hubbard, “ISIS Uses Ramadan as Calling for New Terrorist Attacks,” New York Times June 14, 2016 Cited in Asa Fitch and Karen Leigh, “Islam’s Punitive Line on Homosexuality,” Wall Street Journal December 20, 2015 “Interfaith Round Table: A Conversation on Theology,” on All Things Considered, NPR November 19, 2015 “How Islamic is ISIS Really?,” on Here and Now, NPR
EDITORIAL BOARDS 2011 – Islamic Studies Quarterly
MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER Oxford University Press, Columbia University Press, University of Edinburgh Press, Hurst, Journal of Islamic Studies, Journal of Quranic Studies
COMMUNITY SERVICE May 28, 2016 “Islamophobia and the Presidential Election,” ICNA-MAAS Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD April 29, 2016 “The Role of Custom in Islamic Law,” ISBCC, Boston, MA April 3, 2016 “Islam & Violence,” Fairfax Country Interfaith Communities for Dialogue, Fairfax VA March 24, 2016 “Misquoting Muhammad,” Harvard University Islamic Society, Cambridge, MA March 19, 2016 “Syrian Refugee Crisis,” University of Virginia MSA, Charlottesville, VA March 13, 2016 “Challenges of Islamophobia,” Muslim Community Center East Bay, Pleasanton, CA February 28, 2016 “Islam and Justice Issues,” Ebrahim College, London, UK February 20, 2016 “Justice and Law in the Islamic Tradition,” Diyanet Center of America, Lanham, MD
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February 13, 2016 “Beyond the Two Migrations: Islam in the New World,” Risala Foundation lecture, Houston, TX February 6, 2016 “Women and Mosque Access,” conference on Empowering Women in Sacred Spaces, Villanova University, PA January 31, 2016 “Islam and ISIS,” Glencoe Union Church, Glencoe, IL
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JOHN L. ESPOSITO Bridge Initiative Project Director University Professor
TEACHING ACTIVITY Advising and Mentoring M.A in Liberal Studies (1 Advisee) Mentor for three doctoral dissertations, one Georgetown University and two overseas
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Work Published during 2015−2016 • Editor−in−Chief, Oxford Islamic Studies Online (New York: Oxford University Press) • John L. Esposito, Tamara Sonn and John O. Voll, Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2015). • John L. Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path. 5th ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2015).
Books and Articles in Press Books • John L. Esposito, What Everyone Needs to Know about Shariah, (New York: Oxford University Press) Articles • “Democratic Learning Curve of Islamists: Ideological Shifts, Electoral Politics and CoalitionBuilding,” (Routledge) • “Radicalisation & Islamophobia: Roots, Relationships and Implications in Religiously Diverse Societies,” (Oxford University Press)
Newspaper and Web Articles • 2015 “Islam & Political Violence,” Religions, in John L. Esposito (editor) Special Issue Religion & Violence • 2015 The Oxford History of Islam, 2nd rev. ed., Editor in Chief, and author “Contemporary Islam: Reformation or Revolution,” (New York: Oxford University Press) • January 2016 Special Issue, “Blasphemy and Apostasy: A Clash of Freedoms – Speech And Religion,” co-editor and author, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations • 2016 Religion and Violence, editor, Special Issue of Religions, (Basel: MDPI)
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• March 9, 2016 “The Muslim Brotherhood, Terrorism and U.S. Policy” The Huffington Post
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES August 17, 2015 “Confronting the Threat of Islamophobia: Strategic Planning Leadership Summit” Council on American Islamic Relations, Alexandria, VA September 5, 2015 “Open Dialogue: Learning from our Nation’s History – Addressing Struggles of Inequality” Islamic Society of North America, Chicago, IL September 10, 2015 “What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam” Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA September 14, 2015 “OSCE Expert meeting on Media Portrayal of Muslims” OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Warsaw, Poland September 17, 2015 “What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam” Worcester World Affairs Council, Worcester, MA September 29, 2015 “The Future of Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring” and “Building Bridges: Protecting Pluralism, Ending Islamophobia” Allegheny College, Meadville, PA October 7 -8, 2015 “Who Speaks for Islam?” and “Muslims in the West: What They Want and What They Get” Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN October 13, 2015 “Dinner with the Prophet – Islam and the West” Georgetown Muslim Students Association, Washington, D.C. October 17, 2015 “Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think” and “How Islamophobia is Harming America” World Parliament of Religions, Salt Lake City, UT November 5, 2015 “Democracy and Islam” Austrian Research Association, Vienna, Austria November 14, 2015 “Banquet to Benefit Unity Productions Foundation” Unity Productions Foundation, Princeton, NJ November 19, 2015 “American Muslims: Facts vs. Fiction Film Premiere and Panel Discussion” Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative and Unity Productions Foundation, Washington, D.C. November 21, 2015 ISPU Annual Banquet Award Recipient, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, Dearborn, MI November 22, 2015 “Reflections on Political Islam: Concepts and Contexts” IIIT and AAR, Atlanta, GA November 30, 2015 “Islamophobia and Radicalization: Its Roots, Impact and Relationships” Charles Sturt University, Sydney, Australia December 1, 2015 “The Relationship between Fear Identity and Radicalization” Charles Sturt University, Sydney, Australia
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December 2, 2015 “Crisis in the Middle East: Where Do We Go From Here?” Affinity Intercultural Foundation, Sydney, Australia December 2, 2015 “Uniting or Dividing: Christians and Muslims in a Globalized World” Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia December 3, 2015 Roundtable discussion at Parliament House, Federal Parliament House, Canberra, Australia December 3, 2015 “Relationship between Radicalization and Islamophobia” Charles Sturt University, Canberra, Australia December 3, 2015 “Uniting or Dividing: Christians and Muslims in a Globalized World” Canberra, Australia December 4, 2015 “Uniting or Dividing: Christians and Muslims in a Globalized World” Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia January 14, 2016 Virtual Keynote “Anti-Muslim Racism” University of Osnabruck, Osnabruck, Germany January 21, 2016 “Islam & Religious Pluralism” Hamdani World Harmony Lecture Series, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA February 1, 2016 “Intersections of Religion & Violence” Symposium on Religion, Violence and Extremism, World Council of Churches & UN Interagency Task Force, New York, NY February 2, 2016 “Strategic Priorities Addressing Islamophobia” US Council of Muslim Organizations, Alexandria, VA February 19, 2016 Virtual Lecture “Rise of Islamophobia” Muslim Youth League at the University of York, Heslington, England February 29, 2016 Keynote Lecture “Understanding Islam, Arabs, Islamophobia and Terrorism: Fostering an Enlightened and Inclusive Community” Arizona State University March 2, 2016 “Islam and the Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century” San Diego State University March 9, 2016 “The Future of Muslims in the West: Protecting Pluralism and Ending Islamophobia” University of Alberta, Canada April 1, 2016 Roundtable Discussion with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Turkish Embassy, Washington, D.C. April 14, 2016 Moderator “Race, Religion and U.S. Presidential Politics” The Bridge Initiative, Georgetown University April 15, 2016 "Islamophobia and U.S. Presidential Politics" GAAP Open House Weekend Faculty, Georgetown University
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April 165, 2016 Keynote Speaker, ISNA's Interfaith and Government Outreach Banquet, Alexandria, VA April 21, 2016 Panelist “Reporting Islam: Upgrading the Dominant Narrative by Recognizing Muslim Feminism” UC Berkeley, California April 22, 2016 Panelist “Diverse Manifestation of Islamophobia: A Global View” 7th Annual Conference on Islamophobia, UC Berkeley, CA May 24, 2016 Task Force on Religion and Culture “Does Islam Need ‘Fixing’ – and If So, By Whom?” European External Action Service (EEAS), Brussels, Belgium May 24, 2016 Closed working session with selection of MEPs on violent extremism and Islamophobia, United States Mission to the European Union (USEU), Brussels, Belgium May 24, 2016 “Who Speaks For Islam? What A Billion Muslims Really Think” University Foundation Egmont, Belgium May 25, 2016 “Recent Trends And Dynamics In The Broader Middle East North Africa” European External Action Service (EEAS), Brussels, Belgium May 25, 2016 “Islam And Politics Beyond Egypt” European External Action Service (EEAS), Brussels, Belgium May 26, 2016 Keynote Address “Normalisation Of Islamophobia And Its Sexist Dimension” Symposium: Muslim Women, Forgotten Women? Understanding The Gender Dimension, ENAR European Network Against Racism (ENAR), Brussels, Belgium May 26, 2016 “The Causes Of Radicalization And Violent Extremism, and Implications For EU Foreign And Security Policy” Lunch discussion with EU Ambassadors, Brussels, Belgium May 26, 2016 European External Action Service (EEAS) TED Talk Interview, Brussels, Belgium May 26, 2016 “Islam and Democracy After the Arab Spring” European Endowment for Democracy, Brussels, Belgium May 27, 2016 Roundtable Presentation & Discussion “Have We Reached The Tipping Point: Is Anti-Muslim Intolerance The New Normal In America?” Faith Matters, London, UK May 29, 2016 Panelist “The Muslim Voice in National Conversation” 14th Annual Universal Muslim Association of America Convention, Chicago, IL May 29, 2016 Keynote “Have We Reached the Tipping Point: Is Anti-Muslim Intolerance the New Normal in America & Europe?" 14th Annual Universal Muslim Association of America Convention, Chicago, IL July 23, 2016 Workshop “Islamophobia” International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) Summer University Student Program, Herndon, VA
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MEDIA September 11, 2015 Interview on the role of religion in the American Society Swiss Public Radio (Switzerland) November 5, 2015 Interview with German media on Islamophobia (Austria) November 11, 2015 Interview about Aga Khan The Huffington Post November 15, 2015 Interview on Radicalization in Europe Dnevni Avaz (Bosnia-Herzegovina) November 20, 2015 Interview on Syria and ISIS Life News (Russia) November 20, 2015 Interview on Terrorism in Europe Face TV (Bosnia-Herzegovina) November 23, 2015 Interview on Islamophobia Mic November 30, 2015 Interview on Islamophobia ABC Breakfast (Australia) November 30, 2015 Interview on Islamophobia with John Cleary (Australia) December 8, 2015 Interview on Obama’s Comments on Islamophobia Aljazeera English December 12, 2015 Interview on Islamophobia Telemundo February 4, 2016 Report on Conference Call: Conversation with John Esposito, Charter for Compassion February 4, 2016 Signatory to “Press Release on Islamophobia” California Scholars for Academic Freedom March 18, 2016 Quoted “Should the U.S. Designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Terrorist Group?” U.S. News & World Report March 19, 2016 Interview “Closing Our Borders and the Misconceptions of Islamic Beliefs” on Something More with the Chris Boyd Show March 23, 2016 Quoted “After Brussels Attack, Ted Cruz calls for police patrols of ‘Muslim neighborhoods’” Houston Chronicle May 24, 2016 “Hollywood Reworks Muslim Stereotypes” Religion News Service June 16, 2016 “Naming the Enemy” NPR: Interfaith Voices June 20, 2016 “A Thinly Veiled Agenda: Orlando and Radical Islam” The New Arab July 1, 2016 “Not Americans? Trump’s charge astounds Bay Area Muslims” San Francisco Chronicle July 1, 2016 Interview “JOHN ESPOSITO: Vjera i ideologija nisu uzrok terorizma, to su politika i ekonomija!” [JOHN ESPOSITO: Religion and ideology are not the cause of terrorism, it’s politics and economics!] Dnevni avaz [Bosnian] July 23, 2016 Quoted “Muslim American Voters Could Swing Battleground States” Voice of America
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July 28, 2016 Quoted “Islam: Religion of war or peace?” Daily Commercial August 3, 2016 Quoted “He’s 77, frail and lives in Pennsylvania. Turkey says he’s a coup mastermind” The Washington Post August 19, 2016 Quoted “Texas Muslims threatened amid increasing Islamophobia” Al Jazeera English
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES Executive Board, C−1 World Dialogue, Switzerland Board of Directors, Search for Common Ground, Washington, D.C. Advisory Board, Institute of Social Policy and Understanding, Washington, D.C. International Advisory Board, Center for Buddhist-Muslim Understanding at Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand Advisory Board, British Council’s Our Shared Future, Manchester, United Kingdom Board of Advisors, Unity Productions Foundation, Potomac Falls, VA Advisory Board, Institute for Global Engagement, Arlington, VA Board of Advisors, World Congress for Middle East Studies, Ankara, Turkey Advisory Board, American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies, Villanova, PA Honorary Board, American Iranian Council, Princeton, NJ
EDITORIAL BOARDS Editor in Chief, Oxford Islamic Studies Online Series Editor, Oxford Library of Islamic Studies General Editor, Religion and Global Politics Series, Oxford University Press Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization The Washington Review of Turkish & Eurasian Affairs AWRAQ: Revista de análisis y pensamiento sobre el mundo árabe e islámico contemporáneo International Advisory Board of Islamopedia Online Katha: Journal of Civilizational Dialogue International Dialogue, A Multidisciplinary Journal of World Affairs Edinburgh History of Islamic Empires Religion Compass Muslim World Journal of Human Rights Studies in Contemporary Islam American Muslim Quarterly Discourse: An Iranian Quarterly
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COMMUNITY SERVICE Presentations for NGOs and community groups: keynote addresses at professional meetings and fundraisers for community organizations and other events across the United States and Europe Presentations at churches and mosques in the US and overseas Legal expert in cases involving Muslim civil liberties as well as domestic and global terrorism (Guantanamo Bay cases)
NON-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY AND SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY Founding Director, Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies Director of The Bridge Initiative Raised $1,00,00 Gift for Bridge Initiative Member of Board of Georgetown University Press
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YVONNE HADDAD Professor of the History of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations
TEACHING ACTIVITY Fall HIST 564: Arab Intellectuals in the Modern World INAF 420: Muslim and Non-Muslim
Spring HIST/INAF 367: Muslim Women and the West HIST/INAF 569: Sayyid Qutb and Islamic Extremism
Advising and Mentoring PhD Thesis advisor Bader Al-Saif “Reform and Renewal in Islamic Thought and Practice in Contemporary Arabia,” (in progress) PhD Thesis (second reader) Rahel Fishbach "Politics of Scripture. Discussions of the HistoricalCritical Approach to the Qur'an" PhD thesis (second Reader) Makram Rabah “War of the Mountains between Druze and Maronites 1982-1984” BA Thesis Advisor Molly Wartenberg, “Contraception, Abortion, and Islam in the Modern Context,” Center for Contemporary Arab Studies BA Thesis Advisor Faher Elfayez, “‘A Girl in the River’ Did Not Drown,” Gender Studies
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Accepted for Publications • Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, “Arab-American Women Activists” in Arab Women Activists, edited by Amira Sonbol, Hawwa • Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, “The Politics of Inclusion: American Muslims and the Price of Citizenship,” in Growing Up Muslim in Europe and the United States, edited by Mehdi Bozorgmehr and Philip Kasinitz • Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad and Jane I. Smith, “Afterlife in Christian-Muslim Relations” in the Cambridge Dictionary of Christian-Muslim Relations • Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad and Jane I. Smith, “Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the United States,” Cambridge Dictionary of Christian-Muslim Relations
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Articles under Review • “Journey in the Land of the White Man: Sayyid Qutb in Washington, D.C.” co-authored with Adam Farrar
Current Publishing Projects Books • Sayyid Qutb: The Making of an Islamist Revolutionary to be published in (series of Makers of the Muslim World), Oneworld Publications • A Vanishing Minority: Christians in the Middle East • The Americanization of Islam (tentative title) OUP • The American Engagement with Islam, (Shriver Lectures) to be published by Georgia University Press
Articles • “Western Sources of Sayyid Qutb’s Fi Zilal al-Qur’an” • “Do Arab Christians Need Saving?: The Arab Spring and its Impact on Christians in the Middle East” • “Interfaith Theologies at Georgetown University” • “Cultural Production and the Muslim American Millennial Generation” • “Diaspora Middle Eastern Christian Religious Institutions in the United States” • “The American Mosque Post 9/11: Between Tradition and Pluralism”
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • September 25, 2015 Chaired panel: “Christians in the Holy Land” Naim Ateek and Jonathan Kuttab, ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • September 28, 2015 Chaired program “Christians in Contemporary Syria: What Does Minority Mean?” Najib George Awad, ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • October 30, 2015 Chaired program “Interpreting Islam, modernity and Women’s Rights in Pakistan,” Anita Weis, ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
MEDIA February 4, 2016 “Syrian Christian Refugees” Arielle Zionts, Interfaith Voices, NPR March 2, 2016 “Muslim Scholarship in South Africa,” Jackie Bischof, Quarts Talent Lab April 13, 2016 “African American Muslims and the Presidential Election,” Dina Demrdash, BBC (UK)
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EDITORIAL BOARDS Member, Editorial Board, al-Bayan Journal, Kuala Lampur Member, Editorial Board Contemporary Islam (UK journal) Member, Editorial Board Hawwa (Journal on Women in Islam) Member, Advisory Board, Journal Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations Member, National Advisory Board, Middle East Policy
MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER Manuscript review “The Radicalization of Muslim Americans” Ethnicities journal Book manuscript review: “Muslim Americans: Debating the Notions of American and UnAmerican” Routledge Publishers Book endorsement: The Last Supper by Klaus Wivel, New Vessel Press
COMMUNITY SERVICE Organized a four lecture series: provided background information and moderated the sessions for St. Columba Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C. “The Israeli Religious Right and Palestinian Christians,” Dr. Naim Ateek, Founder of Sabeel Ecumenical Theology of Liberation “Supporting the Christian Community in the Holy Land” Ann Lynn, President of the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem “Christians in Jerusalem: Surviving under Israeli Pressure,” Fr. Michael McDonagh, fouder of the Marian Servants of the Holy Spirit “The Treatment of Christians under Israeli Law,” Jonathan Kuttab, founder of the Palestine Center for the Study of Nonviolence in Jerusalem, and Al Haq
NON-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY AND SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY Member Promotion Committee for Scott Taylor, SFS Marino Seminar Member, Fulbright Vetting Committee (Middle East) ADF Post Doc Search Committee, CCAS Member Executives Committee, CCAS Member Advisory Board: Islamophobia Project, ACMCU Member, Provost Undergraduate Research Council Member, MENA PhD Admissions Committee, History Department
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TAMARA SONN Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor, History of Islam
TEACHING ACTIVITY Fall HIST 109 Islamic World INAF 100 Proseminar: Islam and the West
Spring INAF 408: Modern Muslim Thinkers in South Asia INAF 432: Islam and Women
Advising and Mentoring Senior thesis committees (Jason Cardinalli and Elizabeth Humphrey) Ph.D. committee (M. Amin Tais)
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Books Published during 2015−2016 • Is Islam an Enemy of the West? Polity Press. Submitted spring 2016. Published October 2016. • Islam and Democracy After the Arab Spring (with John L. Esposito and John O. Voll; Oxford University Press, 2016) • Islam: History, Religion, and Politics (extensively revised third edition of A Brief History of Islam, with two new chapters; Wiley Blackwell, 2016
Current Publishing Projects • History of Islam, new ‘definitive history’ requested by Oxford University Press
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • January 27, 2016 Lecture by Amb. Husain Haggani • February 4, 2016 Presentation by Amb. Prof. Akbar Ahmed, “Journey Into Europe” • February 10, 2016 Lecture by Nancy Youssef, Senior National Security Correspondent, The Daily Beast, “The Challenge of Covering Ambiguous Wars” • February 24, 2016 Women and Religion, Magis House • March 29, 2016 Islam and Interfaith Dialogue, INAF 434 (Catholic Peace Tradition) • April 13, 2016 Lecture by Vincent Sekhar, “Interfaith Relations in India”
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PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES Oxford Research Encyclopedia/Religion: Islamic Studies, Editor-in-Chief Religion Compass (journal published by Wiley-Blackwell), editor- in-chief
EDITORIAL BOARDS Oxford Islamic Studies Online The Muslim World (Hartford Seminary) American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences (Association of Muslim Social Scientists of North America Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Villanova University); member of editorial board Islamic Studies (Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad Ulum-e-Islamia, research journal published by Faculty of Islamic Learning, Islamia University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Scholarly Organization Board and Committee Memberships
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies, member, board of directors; program committee for annual conference (April 15-16, 2016) Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, member, board of directors; program committee and panel moderator, annual conference (April 21, 2016) American Academy of Religion, Committee on Collaborative International Research Grants; full day session at annual conference, Atlanta, GA (November 20, 2016)
MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER Shireen Hunter, God on Our Side: Religion in International Affairs, for Rowman & Littlefield Hugh Kennedy, The Caliphate, for Oxford University Press
NON-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY AND SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY SFS Undergraduate Admissions Committee, Fall 2015-Spring 2016 BSFS Requirement Committee, Spring 2016 Promotion Committee for Joseph Sassoon, Spring 2016-Fall 2016 Teaching Evaluation, Oriana Skylar Mastro (February 9, 2016) Alwaleed Centers Conference, Cambridge University, faculty project presentation (May 6, 2016) Lecture, Georgetown Day School, “Islamic State Is Not Islamic,” (February 5, 2016)
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JOHN O. VOLL Professor Emeritus of Islamic History
TEACHING ACTIVITY: Advising and Mentoring Doctoral dissertation mentor: Elisabetta Lanzilao (DLS; new candidate) Doctoral dissertation committee: Tuve Floden (Islamic Studies, successfully defended) Nabil al-Hage Ali (Islamic Studies, successfully defended) Jason Welle (Theology, successfully defended) Elgin Arabaci (History) Bader al-Saif (History)
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Work Published during 2015−2016 Books • With John L. Esposito and Tamara Sonn, Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.
Articles • “Boko Haram: Religion and Violence in the 21st Century,” Religions 6 (2015): 1182-1202. Doi:10.3390/re16041182. • “From Saints and Renewers to Mahdis and Protonationalists: Sufism from 1683 to 1882,” in The Wiley-Blackwell History of Islam and Islamic Civilization, ed. Armando Salvatore and Roberto Tottoli. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, edp 2017. • “Hasan al-Turabi and Contemporary Islam.” Jadaliyya 15 March 2016.
Book reviews • Zachery M. Heern, The Emergence of Modern Shi’ism: Islamic Reform in Iraq and Iran for Journal of Islamic Studies (2016). • Elena Vezzadini, Lost Nationalism: Revolution, Memory and Anti-colonial Resistance in Sudan for Canadian Journal of African Studies. • Neslihan Cevik, Muslimism in Turkey and Beyond for Sociology of Islam.
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PROGRAMS AND LECTURES Formal Paper Presentations • August 24, 2015 “Islam in the Asia-Pacific Region: Is There a Region, Is There a ‘Pacific Islam’,” Keynote address in Symposium, “Sharia in the Asia-Pacific: Islam, Law and Politics,” Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand • April 15, 2016 “Religion & Politics in Late Antiquity: A Hemispheric View,” Keynote address for “Workshop on Holistic Approaches to the Study of Early Islam and the Late Antique World,” Indiana University, Bloomington, IN • April 21, 2016 “The Future of Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring,” Panel presentation in “Democratization, Authoritarianism, and Radicalization: Exploring the Connections,” Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, 17th Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. • June 2, 2016 “Islamdom, China, and the Indian Ocean: Historic Connections and World Historical Contexts” Paper presented in 2016 Zhenghe International Peace Conference, Dubai, UAE Speeches, Lectures, & Programs • September 23, 2015 “American Foreign Policy & Christians in the Middle East: Modern Roots,” Presentation by Karine Walther. Session Moderator. ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • September 24, 2015 “Honoring the Work of Dr. John L. Esposito,” Speech as part of the celebration program, ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • September 25, 2015 “African Renaissance and Afro-Arab Spring: Book Presentation,” Panel Moderator. ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • October 23, 2015 “NEHA 50th Anniversary Celebration: Past Presidents Roundtable,” Roundtable Participant, New England Historical Association meeting, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT • October 26, 2015 “Fundamentalism in the Arab World,” lecture, via Skype, to students in the American University of Kuwait • October 26, 2015 “Islam in Maritime Southeast,” FSI Seminar, Maritime Southeast Asia, Arlington, VA • November 1, 2015 “If the Oceans Were Ink,” Presentation and book discussion, Cleveland Park Congregational Church, Washington, D.C. • November 4, 2015 “Sudanese Muslim Intellectuals,” presentation and discussion in Yvonne Haddad’s course, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • November 16, 2015 “Regional Studies and Careers,” Presentation and discussion in senior seminar for Regional and Comparative Studies majors, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
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• December 1, 2015 “Mawdudi” and “Ali Abd al-Raziq,” commented on paper presentations in Political Theology class (Paul Heck), Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • January 27, 2016 “ISIS vs. al-Qaeda: What’s the Difference and Does it Matter?” Moderator of presentation session by Daniel Byman. ACMCU, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • February 2, 2016 “Islam in Southeast Asia,” FSI Seminar: Islam: Formation, Institutions, Reform. Arlington, VA • March 17, 2016 “The Rise of ISIS and Its Challenge to the US,” presentation at brown bag lunch at the Marshall International Center, Leesburg, VA • March 29, 2016 “Extremism in Africa: An Update on the Uprisings,” Panel presentation at Council on Foreign Relations, Washington, D.C. • April 9, 2016 “The War of 1812 and the Global Wars for Independence,” speech to National Society United States Daughters of 1812, Washington D.C. • August 2, 2016 “Christianity,” Presentation in 2016 Summer Institute for Teachers, “Experiencing and Teaching about World Religions,” Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • August 4, 2016 Presentation on the Alwaleed Center and Interfaith Dialogue and moderated discussion with delegation from Saudi Arabia in the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, Alwaleed Center, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • August 16, 2016 “Outlining a New Middle East Strategy for the Next Administration,” presentation in panel, The George Marshall International Center, Leesburg, VA
MEDIA Interviews with a variety of media including Voice of America, Roll Call, a Brazilian newspaper (Correio Braziliense), and the New York Times.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES Woodrow Wilson Foundation Newcombe Fellowship Application Reviewer National Endowment for the Humanities, Fellowship Application Committee Daughters of the American Revolution Cloyd National Scholarship Selection Committee National Humanities Center Proposal Reviewer
EDITORIAL BOARDS Oxford Bibliographies On-Line Islamic Studies. Oxford University Press. Interim Editor-inChief, 2015The Oxford Islamic Studies Online Resource Center (Editor-in-chief, John L. Esposito; Oxford University Press). Senior Editor.
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IAIS Journal of Civilization Studies (Kuala Lumpur). Advisory Board, 2008Al-Shajarah (ISTAC, Kuala Lumpur). Advisory Board, 2008Romano-Arabica (Bucharest). Advisory Board, 2011Intellectual Discourse (International Islamic University Malaysia) Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs
MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER Reviewed book manuscripts this year for Princeton University Press, University of California Press, Cambridge University Press (two), Oxford University Press, Polity Press, Routledge, and Baylor University Press; reviewed article manuscripts for Polity, Parliamentary Affairs, Comparative Islamic Studies (two), and Sociology of Islam.
COMMUNITY SERVICE Led discussions on Muslim-Christian relations in a local church and taught a summer school course at the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia. Consulted information with people from the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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NORBANI ISMAIL Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia
TEACHING ACTIVITY Spring INAF 427: Tradition and Modernity in Southeast Asian Islam INAF 595: Religious, Political, & Social Movements in Modern SE Asia
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Books and Articles in Press Articles • “The Qur’anic Exegesis, Reformation and Women in the Twentieth Century Indonesia”
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • November 2015 “Muslim Religious Authority and the Mass Media in Malaysia: Reaffirming Orthodoxy through Female Preachers (Pendakwah),” paper presented at the Annual Conference of American Academy of Religion (AAR) • November 18, 2015 “Female Muslim Preachers in Malaysia: Reaffirming Orthodoxy through Activism,” Fall 2015 Lecture Series, International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Herndon, Virginia • December 2, 2015 “Adopting Modernism and Negotiating Tradition in Indonesia: Hamka’s Interpretation of Women Issues in Tafsīr al-Azhar,” Muhammadiyah Central Leadership (PP Muhammadiyah), Jakarta, Indonesia • May 2, 2016 “Islam and Muslims in Southeast Asia: Encounters with the Other,” Center for Anglican Communion Studies, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Virginia • May 25-26, 2016 “Junior Faculty Workshop in Islamic Studies,” International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Herndon Virginia
COMMUNITY SERVICE December 8, 2015 “Contemporary Islamic Thought on Health Issues,” Aisyiyah Health Sciences College (STIKES), Jogjakarta, Indonesia
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EMAD EL-DIN SHAHIN Hasib Sabbagh Distinguished Visiting Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies
TEACHING ACTIVITY Fall INAF 488: Future of Islam and Politics in the Middle East
Spring MAAS 544: Contemporary Issues in Islam in Politics MAAS 625: Dynamics of Transformation in the Middle East
Advising and Mentoring PhD committee member: Elisabetta Lanzilao
HONORS AND AWARDS SFS Summer Research Grant to conduct research in Tunisia (August 2016) University of Denver, Carnegie Centennial Visiting Scholar, (May- July 2015)
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Current Publishing Projects • Senior Editor, Rashid Ghannoushi: A Reader, Oxford University Press (Forthcoming 2017)
Newspaper and Web Articles • October 19, 2015 “Egypt’s new parliament: control and fragmentation,” Aljazeera English • October 28, 2015 “Partisans without Parties,” Foreign Affairs • March 6, 2016 “Does the Chilean Experience present a solution to Egypt?” Huffington Post Arabic
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • August 16, 2015 Guest Speaker, “The Challenges of Reconciliation and Reform in Egypt”, 2015 series US/Middle East Challenges. The Ad Hoc Committee for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, Church of the Messiah." Cape Cod, MA • October 16, 2016 Speaker, “Authoritarianism and the End of Democracy in Egypt”, DePaul University, Chicago, IL • October 28, 2016 Guest Speaker, “Sentenced to Death in Egypt” St. Mark’s Episcopal Church - Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. Page 38
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• November 22, 2016 Speaker, “Egypt—Intellectuals, Political Tyranny, and the Death of the Public Sphere,” MESA conference, Denver, CO • December 5-6, 2016 Keynote Speaker, “Post-political governance: Networks, cities, citizenship and micro politics,” Common Action Forum 2015, Madrid, Spain • February 19, 2016 Speaker, “Dissecting the Democratic Moment in Egypt,” Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, New York University, New York, NY • March 4, 2016 Panelist, “Egypt’s Democratic Future Between Revolution and Counterrevolution,” Egypt: Five Years Later, UC Berkeley • March 15, 2016 Panelist, “Islamic Political Thought after the Arab Spring,” Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. • April 9-10, 2016 Speaker, “ISIS: Sunni Nationalism or Islamic Puritanism” Rethinking Violent Extremism in the MENA Region, Al Sharq Forum & The Afromiddle East Centre (AMEC), Istanbul, Turkey • April 24 2016 Panelist, The 2016 Princeton Middle East Retroactive, Princeton, NJ • June 9, 2016 Keynote Speaker, Scholars At Risk 2016 Global Congress Keynote, Montreal, Canada • October 14, 2016 Panelist “The Arab Spring and the Failed Transitions to Democracy,” Democracy in the Arab World: The Obama Legacy & Beyond, Arab Center Washington D.C. & Center for Middle East Studies at University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, Washington, D.C. • November 14, 2016 Panelist, “Europe’s Changing Neighborhood: Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management in the 21st Century,” Chatham House, International Crisis Group & the Al Sharq Forum, London, UK
MEDIA June 3, 2016 Ennahda’s Congress Decision to Separate Islam and Politics June 10, 2016 ‘Universities in a Dangerous World,’ Inside Higher Ed, Elizabeth Redden June 19, 2016 A Conversation With a Scholar Who Has Been Sentenced to Death
EDITORIAL BOARDS 2012 – Member of Alexandria Library Scientific Board for the Production of "Selections of Modern Islamic Heritage" 2011 – Member of the Editorial Advisory Board, Oxford Research Directions 2009 – Advisory editor, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World (Oxford University Press) 2007 – Foreign Reference Member, University of Oslo 2008 – Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council
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2007 – Founding Member, The Arab Foundation for Democracy, Qatar 2005 – Founding Member, Al-Kawakibi Center for Arab Partnership for Democracy 2004 – Member, Steering Committee, Network for Democrats in the Arab World Member of the Academic Board, Al-Hadara Center, Cairo, Egypt Member of the Editorial Board of “Turkish Perspectives” Periodical Member of the World Movement for Democracy Founding Member, Network for Democrats in the Arab World, Casablanca, Morocco (December 16-17, 2005)
MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER Reviewed manuscripts for Oxford University Press and have written endorsements for published books for Oxford University Press, i.b. Tauris, Just World Books, Routledge-Taylor Francis group, IIIT.
NON-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY AND SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY •
March 15, 2016, Islamic Political Thought after the Arab Spring, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., March 15, 2016
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ENGY ABDELKADER Senior Fellow (Faculty) & Adjunct Professor
TEACHING ACTIVITY Spring 2016 INAF 546: International Human Rights and Terrorism
HONORS AND AWARDS June 6, 2016 Invited Participant and Speaker, The White House, Bullying in Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian communities Roundtable 2016 Invited Participant, German Marshall Fund of the United States Transatlantic Leadership Initiative March 8, 2016 Institute for Social Policy and Understanding Recognition for International Women’s Day
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Books and Articles in Press Books • About Much More Than Charity – American Muslim Philanthropy (work in progress with book contract offer extended but not yet accepted) Articles • “A Comparative Analysis of European Islamophobia: France, UK, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden,” UCLA Journal Of Islamic And Near Eastern Law (forthcoming 2016). • “American Muslim Philanthropy Highlights Humanitarian Islam,” Oxford Islamic Studies Online (forthcoming). Reports • “When Islamophobia Turns Violent: The 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections,” Georgetown University (2016)
Newspaper and Web Articles • August 20, 2015 “In France, Institutionalized Islamophobia Threatens Religious Freedom for All,” Georgetown University – Religious Freedom Project
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• September 14, 2015 “Muslims Suffer, Remain Extremely Vulnerable in the Central African Republic,” Georgetown University – Religious Freedom Project • October 23, 2015 “Adult Bullying of Muslim Kids: A National Challenge,” Georgetown University – Religious Freedom Project • November 25, 2015 “Freedom of Speech v. Freedom of Religion? How American Muslims Are Countering Hate and Getting It Right,” Georgetown University – Religious Freedom Project • January 28, 2016 “Are American Muslim Women Brave?” The Huffington Post • March 1, 2016 “How Muslim Women Are Winning in 2016,” CNN • March 23, 2016 “Fear Breeds Extremists,” TIME • May 18, 2016 “From Eagle Scouts to Prom Queens, A Different View of American Muslims,” The Christian Science Monitor • June 6, 2016 “This Ramadan, Curious George Teaches Kids About Muslims and Islam,” The Huffington Post • June 28, 2016 “American Muslims Show Humanitarian Islam,” The Huffington Post • June 29, 2016 “Clinton, Trump & Anti-Muslim Violence,” Race And The Law Professor Blog • August 9 2016 “Mental Illness: A Key Factor in Terror,” University of Pennsylvania Law School – Global Affairs
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • October 2015 Panelist, “Religious Freedom Trends in the United States,” OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Conference • January 2016 Panelist, “Start the Morning With a Prayer: Religion in Schools,” American Bar Association • March 2016 Panelist, “Islamophobia in Western Europe,” Fourth Annual Religious Freedom Conference on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. • April 2016 Speaker, Islamophobia 101, University of Pennsylvania • May 2016 Panelist, “Islamophobia and the U.S Presidential Elections,” Islamic Society of Central Jersey, NJ • May 2016 Keynote Speaker, “Challenges, Trends, Solutions,” First Annual Philadelphia CityWide Combatting Anti-Muslim Bigotry Youth Conference, Philadelphia, PA • May 2016 Panelist, “Current Challenges Confronting American Muslims,” International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon, VA • May 2016 Panelist, “Islamophobia: Root Causes, Effective Solutions,” Islamic Circle of North America Annual Convention • April 14, 2016 “Race, Religion & U.S. Presidential Politics,” Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
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• March 2016 “Part II: Islamophobia in Focus – Muslims and the Media,” The Newseum Institute • March 2016 “Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe” – Georgetown University Conference, Vienna Austria • June 2016 Panelist, “In this Together, Keeping the Faith: Trends and Patterns in Islamophobia,” German Marshall Fund of the United States
MEDIA August 2016 The 2016 Election is making Islamophobia the Worst it’s ever been, Think Progress August 2016 Anti-Islam speech online may be linked to increased attacks on Muslims, Think Progress August 2016 The Heat: Examining Islamophobia, CCTV America August 2016 A Washington Minute: Hatred Season in America, Aljazeera Arabic August 2016 Attacks on US Muslims Growing in Frequency, Violence, Voice of America June 2016 There’s An Overlooked Reality of Mass Shootings, attn.com June 2016 Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Linked to Increased Violence to US Muslims, The National Catholic Reporter June 2016 Report: State lawmakers tweak wording to push through anti-Islam bills, McClatchy June 2016 Young Muslims Share Voices at Islamophobia Forum, The Final Call May 2016 Donald Trump and the Spike in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes in the US, Slate May 2016 Hate Crimes Rise Along with Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim Rhetoric, The Intercept March 2016 Muslim Women in US Learning to Fight Back, Yahoo.com
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES American Bar Association, Section on Civil Rights and Social Justice, Committee on Religious Freedom Co-Chair; Committee on National Security and Civil Liberties Past Chair & Past Vice-Chair Institute for Social Policy and Understanding Expert and Legal Fellow U.S. State Department, Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group (by invitation) Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief (by appointment) New Jersey State Bar Association Blue Ribbon Commission on Unmet Legal Needs (by appointment) New Jersey Supreme Court Board on Continuing Legal Education (by appointment) New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Minority Concerns (by appointment) New Jersey State Bar Foundation – Respect Editorial Advisory Board (by appointment)
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New Jersey State Bar Association – Membership Committee (by appointment) Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom – Board of Directors Egyptian American Rule of Law Association – Member
MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER Law & Social Inquiry, Constitutional Animal Protection in Egypt and the Making of a Social Movement (2016) Journal of Contemporary Asia, How in Myanmar “National Races” Came to Surpass Citizenship (2016)
COMMUNITY SERVICE Contributor, The Message Magazine, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Contributor, Islamic Horizons Magazine, Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Participant, Muslim American Crisis Management Strategic Planning Working Group, Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) Member, Islamic Society of Central Jersey (ISCJ) Religious Activities Planning Committee
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SHIREEN HUNTER Research Professor
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS Books Published during 2015−2016 • God On Our Side: Religion in International Affairs (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016)
Current Publishing Projects • The New Geopolitics of the South Caucasus (ed. & contributor)
Newspaper and Web Articles • Novemeber 11, 2015 “How to Prevent the Hardliners from Turning Iran into Another North Korea,” Lobelog • November 17, 2015 “Will Russia and Iran Finally Tie the Knot?” Lobelog • November 27, 2015 “Muslim Radicalization in Europe: Roots and Resolution” Lobelog • December 15, 2015 “Will US Visa Waiver Bill Undermine the JCPOA?” Lobelog • January 5, 2016 “The Real Reason Why Saudi Arabia Executed Sheikh Nimr,” Lobelog • January 13, 2016 “The Underlying Message of US-Iran Naval Incident,” Lobelog • February 10, 2016 “Nation vs. Revolution in Iran” Lobelog • February 16, 2016 “Iran as Regional Catalyst” Lobelog • April 16, 2016 “Resolving the Karabakh Conflict” Lobelog • April 18, 2016 “Does the U.S. Really Want Iran to Moderate Its Policies?” Lobelog • June 13, 2016 “Human Rights Double Standards, Iran and Saudi Arabia” Lobelog • June 22, 2016 “Protecting the World’s Shias: Where Is the International Community” Lobelog
PROGRAMS AND LECTURES • January, 2016 Conference in Barcelona on Iran, organized by CIDOB • May, 2016 Conference on the Middle East, organized by CIDOB • May, 2016 Conference in Milan on Iran
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AMBASSADOR EBRAHIM RASOOL Distinguished Scholar in Residence
1. Writing 1.1 Reimagining Islam – Finding the Path Beyond Dogma & Fury. A work focusing on transcending orthodoxy’s inertia and defeating the impulse to extremism. Progress towards completion: - completed 11 of 12 substantial chapters; - submitted for peer review, feedback received and incorporated by interns; - chapters are now being edited and reworked; - introduction to be written by me – planning completed; - need to find publisher – being submitted to one. 1.2 Living Where We Don’t Make the Rules – a guide for Muslim Minorities. The proceedings of the Muslim Minority Leaders Colloquium are incorporated in this work. Progress towards completion: - all audio tapes have been transcribed and written up; - the intern has done the first edit; - work has been content-edited by me; - interns are now adding illustrations, graphs and keywords; and - we are negotiating with IIIT to be the publisher. 1.3 Al Jazeera written contributions: - response to Charlie Hebdo; - analysis of the Paris Massacre; - lessons learnt as Ambassador to the USA; and - submitting piece on 500-year roots of Islam in the USA. 1.4 Weekly Newsletter of the World for All Foundation that reports on the work I do and the engagements I’m busy with. 1.5 The launch of a book (Afro Arab Spring and the African Renaissance) to which I contributed a chapter on Egypt’s revolution and counter-revolution, launched both in Cape Town and Georgetown 1.6 Delivered papers including, “Honoring the Legacy of Dr Ali Mazrui, Islam in Africa, Islam in Globalization,” the Memorial Lecture for Dr Ismail al Faruqi on post Islamism, hosted by the International Institute of Islamic Thought.
1.7 A paper was published by the Carter Center on Countering Daesh Propaganda Online – Immunizing Young People Against the Daesh Synapse.
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2. Conflict Resolution and Peace-Building: 2.1 Syrians – 2 engagements hosted by The Carter Center, to create a platform for a political process in Syria: - April 2015 in Istanbul; and - October 2015 in Zurich. 2.2 Bahrainis – 2 engagements with businesspeople and professionals – Sunni and Shia – to work through the SA model of post conflict reconciliation: - January 2015 in Cape Town; and - June 2015 in Boston. 2.3 Egyptians – 5 engagements with the exiled leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood to explore SA models of resisting the coup without violence and extremism: - February 2015 in Cape Town; - April 2015 in Istanbul; - September 2015 in Istanbul; - February 2016 in Washington, DC; and - September 2016 in Istanbul. 2.4 Countering Violent Extremism: - member of the Club d’ Madrid working group to find both a preventative and combative strategy to defeat extremism; - presented strategic input to CVE conference in Madrid; - strategic advisor to Carter Center work group on countering Daesh online recruitment narrative; - participation in the program of the US Institute of Peace to ensure de-radicalization; - addressed various conferences globally on these themes. 2.5 Managing the Fallout from the Arab Spring: - in addition to the above, have also had engagements with opposition groups in Libya, Yemen and Iraqi Kurds on topics ranging from militant non-violence to oppose dictatorships, nation-building and reconciliation, and development programs for post conflict societies. 2.6 Normalization of Cuba – US Relations: - Participated in efforts to take the Cuban – USA relationship to the next level, after being active in creating the conditions for the thaw manifested in December 2014; - In November 2016, engaged with Cuban Americans in Miami to plan for the future of US-Cuba relations under a Trump administration. 2.7 Race Relations & Reconciliation: - Invited by Beyond Conflict to deliver keynote address in a dialogue between the Boston Mayor’s Office and Civil Society on initiatives that could ease racial tensions
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and create the foundation of an inclusive society in November 2015, and again in October 2016. Delivered the Service at the Howard University, International Sunday Service on the theme: Building unity and solidarity in an unequal and polarized world. Addressed the Commemoration prayers for Yarrow Marmood, a Muslim slave whose remains are buried in Georgetown. Led the ADAMS Prayers for the Slaves during Black History Month-2016; Part of an initiative to honor the slave heritage of Islam in the USA and building intra-Muslim co-operation.
2.8 Consolidating Iraqi Post Conflict Reconstruction: - Met with Speaker of Iraqi Parliament to explain South Africa’s transition and its lessons for Iraq; - Followed this up with meeting President of the World Bank to plan possible WB interventions in Iraq. 2.9 Delivered the Keynote address for a UN – WB conference on Peace and Development Challenges for Fragile Societies: Shifting from the national to the local, from welfare to development and from militarism to engagement. 2.10 Did a State of the Ummah Address at the Sharq Forum in Istanbul in September 2016.
3. Intervention in Muslim Thought and Practice: 3.1 Friday Sermons – have been active in delivering the Friday Sermons, mostly in the DMV, but also across the USA, sharing the SA model for minority co-existence, immunizing the community against extremism and presenting alternative interpretations of Islam; 3.2 All Dulles Area Muslim Society – have engaged closely with ADAMS in thinking through various strategies to enhance Muslim contribution to the USA: Interfaith Strategy, InterCommunity Strategy, Education Strategy, Intra-Muslim Unity between African-American Muslims and their fellow religionists, and on an LGBT strategy; 3.3 Leadership Training – have conducted Leadership Courses for American Muslim Leaders on Maqasid al Sharia – how to live Islam by its Intents and Values, not only its rules and regulations – in December 2015 in DC, March 2016 on Civic Engagement, and in November 2016 in Seattle; 3.4 Intensive Courses - Convened 3 other Intensives on Civic Engagement, Countering Extremism, and Preparing for Islam under Trump; 3.5 Interfaith Engagements – have followed up on the Jumuah Service in the Washington National Cathedral and assisted Muslims in this terrain by: - participating in identifying common issues like climate change; - shaping engagements like those between Muslim Imams and Evangelical Pastors; - participating in an interfaith townhall meeting in Seattle following the 2016 US election; Page 48
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the signing of a Pledge of Tolerance and a Peace Walk against Islamophobia.
3.6 Facilitation - Brought the leadership of SA’s first Islamic University to the USA to explore how to develop the next generation of Muslim clergy who can integrate seamlessly into Western societies as minorities, thriving under democracy and human rights, and immunizing against extremism. 3.7 Advisory Service – Facilitating and Advising the Islamic Relief Worldwide Strategic Board of Trust Retreat. 3.8 Promotion – promoting films as a medium to convey Islamic message of co-existence, hosted by Unity Production Films. 3.9 Did interview on Islamophobia for the launch podcast of the ACMCU’s initiative, The Bridge.
3.10 Training – Have participated in Maqasidi Training for Muslim Clergy from South Africa, USA, Morocco, Tunisia, France and Belgium so that they could guide Muslims through changing and challenging times.
4. Global Development Issues: 4.1 Participated in authoring the ISLAMIC DECLARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE in Istanbul; 4.2 Participated in Working Group on COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM in Madrid; 4.3 Participated in panel discussion on SHARED SOCIETIES AS BASIS FOR FUTURE PEACE in Brussels; 4.4 Participated in a Notre Dame seminar in London entitled CHANGING THE CONVERSATION – RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT; 4.5 Spoke to 500 Global Investors in Colorado Springs on GREEN AND ETHICAL INVESTMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY; 4.6 Spoke at The World Bank and UN High Level Panel on THE CONVERGENCE OF HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT AID co-chaired by the President and Secretary General; 4.7 Started a process to assist the State Department in THE TRAINING OF THEIR DIPLOMATS FOR AFRICA AND THE MUSLIM WORLD. 4.8 Delivered Keynote Address on the ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS: THE MOST DAMAGE ECONOMIC PROBLEM FACING THE DEVELOPING WORLD, hosted by Global Financial Integrity. 4.9 Addressing Albrights Programs on TRADE AND INVESTMENT PROSPECTS IN AFRICA; 4.10 Working with specific companies to understand THE SOCIO-POLITICAL CHANGES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
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5. South Africa: 5.1 Media – have participated in media coverage on SA through CCTV, eNCA, and Al Jazeera; 5.2 Advisory – have played advisory role to corporations, consultancies and businesspeople about Africa and SA; 5.3 Have remained in touch with the political and economic developments in SA and Africa.
6. Outstanding Priorities: 6.1 The two publications require completion; 6.2 I believe there is a need for focused discussion at GU to engage with themes from my books and themes that I engage with globally; 6.3 There are outstanding programs that are planned in various aspects of the engagements I have started; 6.4 Institutions like the WB, TCC and USIP have indicated interest in continuing relationships started; 6.5 State Department wants to continue the training of diplomats relationship started; 6.6 We are in advanced state of planning for a Colloquium to Define the Co-ordinates of a Post-Islamism Paradigm for the Muslim World for August 2016 in Tunisia; 6.7 We have a further 5 Maqasidi Intensives scheduled for 2017; and Should the two publications be published, this would occasion a visit to many global cities to launch them, but in ways that conduct seminars on the themes of the books.
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Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, ICC 260 3700 O Street, NW Washington, DC 20057 Tel: 202-687-8375 Fax: 202-687-8376 Email: acmcu@georgetown.edu Web: acmcu.georgetown.edu Twitter: @acmcu