Center for Anthropology of Islamic Cultures

The Center for the Anthropology of Islamic Cultures works in the following areas:

• Research on Islamic religiosity in the context of the socio-cultural dynamics of Muslim communities.
• The development of modern theoretical approaches to the study of the religion of Islam in post-secular society in a comparative perspective.
• Studying the socio-cultural dynamics of predominantly Muslim societies from a comparative historical perspective.
• Carrying out research projects in the field of anthropology, sociology and history of Islam, including field research.
• Organisation of conferences and seminars, consultations and expertise on the profile of the Center's activities.
• Realisation of joint projects in the field of Applied Oriental Studies with non-profit foundations, commercial enterprises, cultural and educational institutions: exhibition activities and museum expertise, educational and participatory laboratory formats, social projects in the field of intercultural adaptation and integration.
• Development of educational programmes in the fields of history and culture of the Islamic world, Islamic economics and finance, regional specificities of business and corporate culture.

Research themes of the Center:

• Political Anthropology of Islam and Islamic Political Thought
• Islam in post-secular society
• Urban anthropology of Islam
• Anthropology of the Islamic economy

The specificity of the research approaches of the Center's staff lies primarily in its anthropological focus, its emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches and comparative cross-cultural research. In particular, the Center focuses on the study of Islam and Muslim communities in contemporary Russia and neighbouring countries.

The Center actively cooperates with other departments of the Institute dealing with Islamic issues - first of all with the Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies, the Center for Islamic Manuscripts, the Center for the Study of Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Ural-Volga Region, the Center for the Study of the Countries of the Near and Middle East, the Department of Written Monuments of the Peoples of the East, the Department of Art and Material Culture, the Department of Oriental History and the Oriental Cultural Center.

Staff