Publication Name
Journal
Submit your abstract and bio via this form by 1 August 2025. Presenters are encouraged to become a member of AAIMS before registering for the conference.
The conference will be held on Thursday and Friday, 30-31 October at Griffith University (South Bank campus) in Brisbane, Queensland. Current and prospective AAIMS and BRAIS members are warmly encouraged to apply to present their ongoing research in any area of Islamic and Muslim Studies. The theme of this year’s conference, “Fractured World, Uncertain Future: Islam, Justice, and Humanity in Turbulent Times”, is intended to attract papers that examine and reflect upon topics relevant to Islamic and Muslim studies in the context of national and global crises and conflict, challenges to the rule of law, justice, and humanity, and the experiences of Islam and Muslim communities in navigating these uncertain times. It also invites discussions on governance and coexistence, solidarity and resilience in an era of fractured relation and rising tensions. This year’s keynote speaker will be Professor Hatem Bazian, University of California, Berkeley (USA). Professor Bazian research interest and expertise encompass Arabic language and culture, Colonialism and post-colonial studies, Diaspora and ethnic studies, Islamic studies and Islamophobia, and Palestine studies. The conference welcomes presentations by academics of all levels from PhD candidates and Early Career Researchers and to Senior Lectures and Professors. We will be hosting specific events to support creating connections and career opportunities for participants at all levels. Individual papers, panel and roundtable submissions relevant to the study of Islam and Muslim societies are welcome. Proposals can be submitted for the traditional panel format as well as roundtable discussions. In addition to papers that focus on research, proposals that focus on learning and teaching, including via online and innovative formats, are also welcome. Panels may consist of 3 to 4 participants. Paper presentations should be no longer than 20 minutes. Submit your abstract and bio via this form by 1 August 2025.
Conference papers are encouraged to address any topic that contributes to the conference theme and to research and teaching in the fields of Islamic and Muslim Studies. This may include (but not limited to) the following sub-themes:
- Coexistence, covenants, and rules-based order
- Colonialism and decoloniality
- Conflict, Conflict resolution, occupation, genocide, and peacebuilding
- Extremism, radicalism, violence, counterviolence, and terrorism
- Governance and politics
- Humanity and human rights
- Intercommunity solidarity, interreligious, social relations, and social cohesion
- International institutions, and transnational relations
- Islam and Muslims, communities and lived experiences
- Islamic civilisation, history, philosophy, and theology
- Islamophobia and racism
- Justice, the rule of law, law, and ethics
- Migration, settlement, and belonging
- Nationalism and citizenship
- Palestine, Israel, and the Middle East
- Qur’an, sunnah, hadith, and religious texts
- Religion, religiosity, and ideology
Papers are also encouraged that address the conference theme from interdisciplinary perspectives including (but not limited to) anthropology, area studies (e.g. Middle East, South/Southeast Asia), communications, cultural studies, economics, history, international relations, journalism, linguistics, media studies, peace and conflict studies, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion studies, sociology, and theology. Call for Roundtable Abstracts: The conference will also host a roundtable on “Decolonising Sociology of Islam: Rethinking Islamic Epistemologies”. Sociologists and scholars of Islamic Studies are invited to join Associate Professor Derya Iner and Dr Jan Ali to contribute to a critical discussion on how the Sociology of Islam can move beyond orientalist and Eurocentric paradigms toward more authentic, decolonial, and epistemologically grounded approaches. Topics such as politics, women, and jihad are often examined through a Western sociological lens, risking the reproduction of colonial legacies and epistemic marginalisation. This roundtable aims to reframe the discipline through Islamic intellectual traditions, indigenous knowledge systems, and the insights of both classical and contemporary Muslim thinkers. Each presenter will speak for 10 minutes, followed by a 60-minute structured discussion and consultation. Abstracts are invited that engage with:
- Islamic concepts to Muslims societal development, such as hijra, ummah, watan, and beyond;
- Contributions from traditional and contemporary scholars like Ibn Khaldun, Ali Shariati, Farid Al-Attas, and “insider” thinkers and sociologists such as Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Saba Mahmood, and beyond;
- Islamic sources—Qur’an, Hadith, Sirah and Islamic historical experience—to navigate social challenges;
- Critique of leading sociologists’ studies and views on Islam and Muslim societies; and
- Future of Sociology of Islam with the emerging Islamic scholars from within Western societies.
