My latest blog entries: The Love of Coffee
A Letter from IstanbulIslamic civilization and coffee have a long, loving relationship. It is probably not an exaggeration to state that the world owes its addictive coffee habit to the spread of the cosmopolitan civilization of Islam. Read more...
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A Letter from SarajevoTo write a love letter to coffee from Sarajevo, the quintessential frontier, is to touch the innermost core of our being, to tickle the beans that form the fiber of our life. Read more...
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Latest Analysis
Five Reasons Why Malaysian Elections Matter
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Al Jazeera Balkans interview on Malaysian elections
(Begins at 17;25, in Bosnian) |
"It took twenty years of experimentation to produce this [winning] coalition."
Why Islam on the Edges?Welcome to the website dedicated to scholarship and policy analysis on "Islam on the Edges." Southeast Asia and the Balkans represent the edges of what could be described as "the Muslim world," or parts of the world in which Muslims constitute either a majority or a sizable population. Seemingly unrelated and different, they present rich evidence for the diversity of Muslim experiences. Surprisingly, they exhibit numerous similarities too. Having lived in both regions, I offer up-to-date scholarship and analysis on Islam and Muslims. This website reminds us that Islam on the Edges needs to be regarded as important as Islam in other parts of the world. If anything, one can find unique religious and socio-political developments on the edges. I hope other scholars, policymakers, and the general population interested in these countries and regions will benefit from the website.
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Počitelj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Scholarship and Analysis
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia (SEA) is the home to almost as many Muslims as in the Middle East / North African region. Yet, it is often sidelined in the discussions on Islam and Muslims. This website re-focuses our attention on the important developments in the SEA region by reminding us that, sometimes, the most interesting things happen on the edges.
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The Balkans
The Balkans is often poorly understood through the lens of historical determinism. This website will provide a more nuanced analysis, tracking and understanding Islamic trends in the Balkans, their trajectories and orientations, and exhibiting the rich tapestry of Muslim cultures in the region.
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Islam and Politics
Comparative Muslim politics and activism are focus of this website. Much of the scholarship on Islam and Muslims spotlights one country or region. While not neglecting this approach, the website will be showcasing transnational, trans-regional, and other comparative dimensions by looking at the developments in comparative Muslim politics. It will also explore the foreign policy implications of these insights.
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Opinions expressed on this website and in my publications are my own and do not represent any institution or entity