(This event is jointly organised by MEI’s Political Economy and Diffusion of Ideas Research Clusters, as part of its quarterly public talks series.)
Abstract
For the past half-century, Saudi Arabia — through both official and non-governmental channels — has engaged in or funded a wide range of activities to propagate globally the distinctive brand of Islam associated with the kingdom’s religious establishment. This talk will explore the origins and evolution of Saudi transnational proselytisation, review ongoing debates about the impact of these influences in various regions and localities around the world, and discuss possible future trends in light of the new Saudi leadership.
The nearest car park to the venue can be found here.
About the Speaker(s)
Dr Peter Mandaville is Professor of International Affairs in the Schar School of Policy & Government and a Senior Fellow at the Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies, both at George Mason University. He is also a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Senior Research Fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs.
From 2011–12, Dr Mandaville was a member of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Policy Planning Staff, where he was involved in shaping the United States’ response to the Arab Spring. From 2015–16, he served as a Senior Advisor in the Secretary of State’s Office of Religion & Global Affairs, where he acted as the US Department of State’s primary subject matter expert on Islam. He is the author of the books Islam & Politics (2nd edition, 2014) and Transnational Muslim Politics: Reimagining the Umma (2001).
