Centre of Islamic Studies

Centre of Islamic Studies
Name	Centre of Islamic Studies
Established	2008
Type	Research centre
Parent	University of Cambridge
Director	Professor Yasir Suleiman
City	Cambridge
Country	England, United Kingdom
Website	https://www.cis.cam.ac.uk/

Centre of Islamic Studies. The Centre of Islamic Studies is a dedicated research institution within the University of Cambridge, founded in 2008 with a generous endowment from the Alwaleed Philanthropies foundation. It operates under the auspices of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies, focusing on the interdisciplinary study of Islam and Muslim societies in the modern world. The Centre aims to promote a deeper understanding through rigorous academic research, public engagement, and fostering dialogue between the Islamic world and other cultural traditions.

History

The establishment of the Centre was formally announced in 2008 following a landmark donation from Saudi philanthropist Prince Alwaleed bin Talal through his Alwaleed Philanthropies. This initiative built upon earlier academic engagements with Islamic studies at the University of Cambridge, an institution long renowned for its Oriental studies scholarship. The founding director, Professor Yasir Suleiman, previously held the His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Chair of Modern Arabic Studies, shaping the Centre's early vision. Its creation coincided with a growing global need for nuanced academic perspectives on contemporary Muslim-majority countries following events like the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War.

Academic programs

While not a degree-awarding body, the Centre is integral to the university's academic ecosystem, contributing to teaching and supervision within the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. It supports PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows working on themes related to modern Islam and politics, society, and culture. The Centre organizes a prominent weekly seminar series, inviting scholars from institutions like the University of Oxford and the School of Oriental and African Studies. It also hosts the annual “The Muslim World and the West” lecture, featuring prominent thinkers such as Tariq Ramadan and Karen Armstrong.

Research and publications

Research at the Centre is organized around key thematic areas including Muslim diasporas, Islamic finance, environmental ethics in Islam, and contemporary Islamic political thought. It has produced significant publications like the 'Cambridge Papers' series and collaborates on projects with the British Academy and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The Centre's scholars frequently contribute to major media outlets like the BBC and Al Jazeera, translating academic research for public discourse. A notable ongoing project examines the history of Muslims in the United Kingdom since the Second World War.

Notable faculty and alumni

The Centre has been led since its inception by its founding Director, Professor Yasir Suleiman, a renowned scholar of Arabic language and Arabic literature. Other distinguished affiliated faculty have included Professor James Piscatori, an expert on Islam and politics, and Dr. Fiona McCallum, who researches Christian-Muslim relations. Former research fellows and associates have moved on to prestigious positions at institutions such as the London School of Economics, Georgetown University, and the Institute for Advanced Study. The Centre's alumni network includes policymakers, journalists, and academics influencing debates from Washington, D.C. to Kuala Lumpur.

Affiliations and partnerships

As an integral part of the University of Cambridge, the Centre maintains strong ties with other departments, particularly the Faculty of Divinity and the Cambridge Judge Business School. It has formal partnership agreements with leading global institutions including the American University of Beirut, the University of Jordan, and the International Islamic University Malaysia. The Centre also collaborates with cultural bodies like the British Museum and the Aga Khan Development Network for public conferences and exhibition projects. These partnerships facilitate academic exchange, joint research initiatives, and international symposiums on pressing global issues.

Campus and facilities

The Centre is housed within the historic Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies building on the University of Cambridge's Sidgwick Site. Its facilities include dedicated offices for researchers, a specialized library collection, and seminar rooms equipped for international video conferences. The location places it at the heart of the university's humanities precinct, near the Seeley Historical Library and the Cambridge University Library, providing access to world-class resources like the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Collection. This environment fosters daily interaction with scholars from diverse disciplines across the Colleges of the University of Cambridge.

Category:University of Cambridge Category:Islamic studies Category:Research institutes in the United Kingdom