Henry Luce Foundation Awards Grant to Initiative on Contemporary Islamic Societies

The Harvard Center for Middle Eastern Studies is delighted to announce that its Initiative on Contemporary Islamic Societies has been awarded a $156K grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. The purpose of the grant, which begins in January 2011, will be to organize a conference that launches a collaborative research network exploring peace, coexistence, and conflict in a number of Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority countries spanning Europe, the Middle East, South and South East Asia. The research network brings together scholars whose expertise in particular geographic, religious, social, and political contexts contributes to a broader understanding of pluralism and human diversity across Muslim societies. The Harvard initiative is led by Vehbi Koç Professor of Turkish Studies Cemal Kafadar, Department of History, a past Director of the Harvard Center for Middle Eastern Studies.