Albrecht Fuess is a Professor of Islamic Studies at Philipps University of Marburg since 2010, specializing in Middle Eastern History (13th–17th centuries), Mamluk socio-cultural dynamics, and contemporary European Islamic discourses. His research spans historical continuity in Ottoman-Mamluk-Safavid interactions, Islamic youth cultures, and Mediterranean geopolitics. Research Focus: Medieval Islamic history, Transottomanica mobility studies, Islam in Europe, and cultural integration of Muslim migrants. Awards: Le Studium Fellowship (2007–2009) at Université de Tours. His publications emphasize military-economy interplay, legitimacy through religious narratives, and resource management in empires, with a focus on Mamluk and Ottoman transformations. He has advised on doctoral projects covering topics like Islamic welfare, Arabic ʾAmālī literature, and Cypriot-Ottoman relations. Leadership: Co-coordinator of Transottomanica (DFG-SPP 1981), member of ANR and DAAD committees, and liaison professor for the German National Academic Foundation. Editorial Roles: Co-editor of 'Transottomanica' and 'Muslim Worlds' series, and advisory board member for journals in Cairo, Paris, and Leuven.
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Freitag is Director of the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (Berlin) and holds a special professorship in Islamic Studies at Freie Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on social and cultural history of the Arab world, urban history, and transregional connections in the Indian Ocean. She has directed major projects like 'An Oasis Facing Globalisation: Hegra’s History since the 19th Century' and authored seminal works such as A History of Jeddah . Education: Habilitation (Islamic Studies, 2002, Bonn), PhD (1991, Freiburg), MA (1987, Freiburg). Key research stays include Damascus (1984-85, 1987-90), Yemen, and Southeast Asia. Research Interests: Urban development, migration networks, Ottoman heritage, Saudi state formation, and transregional Islamic dynamics. Current projects explore Jeddah’s urban history and transregional entanglements in the Arabian Peninsula. Engagement: Editorial roles for Journal of Arabian Studies , ZMO Studien , and advisory boards for institutions like the Leibniz Institute of European History. Awarded fellowships from Käthe-Hamburger Kolleg and LUCIS. Supervised over 20 doctoral theses on topics ranging from Ottoman governance to Gulf intellectual history. Publications: Over 150 articles, 8 monographs, and 6 edited volumes. Her work blends archival research with transregional perspectives, emphasizing marginalized voices and material culture. Recent focus on pandemic impacts and Saudi-Iranian geopolitical dynamics.
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Freitag is a distinguished scholar in Islamic Studies and social history of the Arab world, holding a Professorship at Freie Universität Berlin and serving as Director of the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) . Her work bridges urban history, transregional Islamic networks, and Arabian Peninsula studies within Indian Ocean and Red Sea contexts. Education : PhD in Islamic Studies (Freiburg, 1991), Habilitation (Bonn, 2002) Research : Focus on Ottoman urban violence, Saudi state formation, Hadhrami diaspora, and historical urbanism in Jeddah Her supervision of PhD projects spans topics from Moroccan Sufi sanctußen to Yemeni Jewish communities. Recent scientific awards include fellowships at Leiden University and Käthe-Hamburger Kolleg. She contributes to public discourse through Tagesspiegel op-eds and international conferences.
Hakan Özkan is a Privatdozent and Research Associate at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Department of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Münster, where he has been working since 2007 in various capacities. He was awarded his Venia Legendi (Habilitation) in November 2019 for Arabic and Islamic Studies with his thesis 'History of Eastern Zajal – Dialectal Arabic Verse Poetry from the East of the Arab World.' His academic background includes a Franco-German doctorate completed in 2006 from Université de Provence and University of Cologne, supervised by Claude Audebert and Monika Gronke, with external reviewers including Wolfhart P. Heinrichs from Harvard University. His educational background includes: 2019: Venia Legendi for Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Münster 2002-2006: Franco-German Doctorate in Arabic Studies and Narratology (Université de Provence and University of Cologne) 1995-2000: Master of Arts in Islamic Studies, Oriental Languages and Literatures (University of Cologne) 2000-2001: Course program in Modern Standard Arabic and Syrian-Lebanese dialect at Institut Français d'Etudes Arabes de Damas Özkan's research focuses on premodern Arabic dialect poetry, particularly zajal and muwashshaḥ forms, narratology, prosimeter literature, socio-literary history, and diachronic dialectology. His interdisciplinary approach bridges linguistic analysis with literary criticism, examining how dialectal forms evolved within Arabic literary traditions across different historical periods and geographical regions. He has conducted extensive field research in Arab countries including Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco, with particular emphasis on the historical development of poetic forms from the Mamluk through Ottoman periods. His publication history demonstrates consistent scholarly contributions to Arabic literary studies, with his 2020 monograph 'History of Eastern Zajal' representing a landmark study in the field. His recent work has expanded to include analyses of religious poetry praising the Prophet Muhammad in zajal form, wine poetry in Arabic literary traditions, and the integration of dialects into Arabic language teaching methodologies. His scholarly output spans monographs, critical editions, encyclopedia entries, journal articles, and book chapters across multiple languages including German, English, French, and Turkish. Among his academic recognitions: 2018: Second place on shortlist for W2 Professorship for Arabic Language and Translation Science, University of Leipzig 2008: Offered Junior Professorship at American University in Cairo (declined) 2007: Second place on shortlist for maître de conférence position at University of Nancy 2007: Official Qualification from National University Council (CNU) for positions as maître de conférence at French universities Özkan has served on numerous academic committees, including appointment committees for professorships in Sinology and Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Münster. He has been a juror for the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding in Doha and has served on the steering committee for the 'Translation for Dialogue' program of the Anna Lindh Foundation. His editorial work includes reviewing for Mamluk Studies Review, Die Welt des Islams, and Middle Eastern Literatures since 2012. His scholarly activities extend to linguistic fieldwork on Pontic Greek dialects in Turkey and organizing significant academic conferences including 'The Race Course of Literature – An-Nawāǧī and His Contemporaries' in 2018 at the University of Münster. His multilingual capabilities (Arabic, Turkish, German, French, English, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and knowledge of Modern Greek) enable his comparative work across multiple linguistic and cultural traditions in the Mediterranean region.
Prof. Dr. Harald Wehnes serves as a Professor at the University of Würzburg within the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, specifically affiliated with the Institute of Computer Science's Chair of Computer Science III (Communication Networks). His office is located in room A206 at the Hubland campus, with contact email wehnes@informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de. His research centers on project management methodologies, with particular emphasis on the Project Excellence Model and its practical applications. Prof. Wehnes has developed significant expertise in applying project management frameworks to complex IT infrastructure initiatives and healthcare systems. His work demonstrates how theoretical project management concepts translate into real-world implementation, especially in cross-organizational contexts. Analysis of his publication history reveals a consistent focus on practical project management applications, particularly the NIMBUS project case study which documented the consolidation of 12 data centers into a single state data center. His publications demonstrate evolving expertise from foundational programming work (evidenced by his 1981 book "Strukturierte Programmierung mit FORTRAN 77" which went through seven editions) to sophisticated project management frameworks. Prof. Wehnes has maintained active engagement with the German Project Management Association (GPM), presenting at numerous forums and events. His international reach is evident through presentations at institutions including the University of the United Arab Emirates and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. From 2013-2020, he taught specialized courses on professional project management (Spezialvorlesung aus der Praxis: Professionelles Projektmanagement) at the University of Würzburg, sharing his extensive practical experience with students. His work environment within the Chair of Computer Science III connects his project management expertise with research areas including 5G & 6G network technologies, network and service management, and green communication networks.
Katrin Bromber is a German Researcher at the Centre for Modern Oriental Studies in Berlin, where she has led the research group "Progress and its Discontents: Ideas, Practices, Materiality" since 2014. Her career spans senior research roles at ZMO and academic teaching positions at the University of Vienna. Nationality: German. Language skills: Native German, fluent English/Swahili, moderate Amharic, good reading knowledge in French/Russian, basic Tigrinya. Habilitation (2009–): African Studies, University of Vienna PhD (1993): African Linguistics, University of Leipzig MA (1988): Swahili Studies, University of Leipzig Katrin Bromber's research interrogates intersections of body politics , sports history , Swahili linguistics , and Ethiopian modernity . Her work traces how physical culture, media representation, and colonial/imperial narratives shape national identities across Africa and Asia. Current focus: "Progress" as contested concept in Ethiopian and Gulf urbanism. Key article trends reflect her translocal methodology: 2017 studies on Ethiopian stadiums and fitness culture ; 2014-2013 publications analyzing East African military press , sports branding in the Gulf , and Swahili poetry ; 2007-2000 works on colonial linguistic politics , Indian Ocean slavery , and German colonial Swahili promotion . Recurring sub-fields: body as political text, translocal modernity, media historiography. Scientific Awards: Research Grant of the Berlin City Council (1999-2000): Gendered Slavery study Service to the Scientific Community: Chairwoman, Academic Association for Horn of Africa Studies (2012–) Editorial Advisory Board - Stichproben. Vienna Journal of African Studies (2015–) Editorial Advisory Board - Studies of Department of African Languages and Cultures (2015–) Teaching Experience: Textlinguistics, Mediacommunication, African Linguistics, Swahili (elementary/advanced), Swahili Literature, Swahili in Arabic Script at Leipzig, Humboldt-Berlin, Free Berlin, and Vienna universities Anthropology of the Body at Mekelle University Summer School Field Research: Tanzania (1993-2003): Swahili Poetry, Intellectual History Kenya (2005): Indian Ocean WW2 UAE/Bahrain (2009): Sports and Body Cultures Ethiopia (2009-2015): Sports, Body Politics
Prof. Esther Möller is the Deputy Director of the Centre Marc Bloch at Humboldt University Berlin. Her work focuses on the history of relations between Europe and the Arab world, migration, humanitarianism, and Mediterranean studies. She holds a PhD from the University of Mainz (2011) and a habilitation (2021), both in History. Previously, she served as a visiting professor for North African cultural history at Bundeswehr University Munich (2020–2022) and held the Alfred Grosser Visiting Professorship at Sciences Po (2022–2023). Her research explores 20th-century refugee movements from Europe to the Arab world, emphasizing Germany's diaspora in Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. She has led projects on humanitarian aid in the Arab world, funded by the German Research Foundation and Gerda Henkel Foundation, and conducted archival research in Cairo via a postdoctoral fellowship. Current projects integrate interdisciplinary debates on colonial/postcolonial migration contexts. Awards: Postdoc Fellowship (Orient-Institut Beirut), Alfred Grosser Visiting Professorship Key Research: Egyptian Red Crescent history, French cultural policy in Lebanon Grants: DFG, Gerda Henkel Foundation, Fritz Thyssen Foundation
Eugene Rogan is Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of St Antony's College, where he also serves as Director of the Middle East Centre. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, a leading center for area studies in the UK. His research focuses on the modern history of the Arab world, particularly during the 18th to 20th centuries. Key areas include the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire, the First World War in the Middle East, and the 1948 Palestine War. His current project re-examines the 1860 massacres in Damascus as a case of sectarian conflict and state reconstruction. Rogan’s publications have significantly shaped the historiography of the modern Middle East. His recent books, such as The Arabs: A History and The Fall of the Ottomans , reflect a consistent engagement with themes of empire, resistance, and national identity. The articles and books listed demonstrate a strong emphasis on military, political, and social transformations in the region, with recurring attention to colonialism, state formation, and collective memory. Fellow of the British Academy (2017) He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including The Middle East in the Age of Empire, 1830–1971 and The History of the Middle East, 1860–1970 . While no students or grants are explicitly listed, his leadership of the Middle East Centre indicates active mentorship and research direction. He is involved in public-facing scholarship, regularly participating in lectures and media engagements. Rogan leads the Middle East Centre at St Antony's College, a hub for interdisciplinary research, conferences, and publications on the region. The center fosters collaboration among scholars, policymakers, and public intellectuals, amplifying the impact of his academic work.
Prof. Dr. Clarissa Vierke is a specialist in Swahili Language and Literature at the University of Bayreuth , with a focus on literary connections across the Indian Ocean and African continent. She was awarded the German National Merit Foundation scholarship during her studies in African Languages, Social Anthropology, and Literatures in African Languages at Bayreuth and Leiden. Academic Degrees : Doctorate in African Studies (2010, Bayreuth), Studies in African Studies (1999-2005, Bayreuth/Leiden) Her research spans historical Swahili manuscripts (18th-19th century), contemporary poetry (hiphop, newspaper poetry), and aesthetic practices that examine how poetic form shapes lifeworlds. She leads the project Poetry as Aesthetic Practice (Madagascar/Tanzania) and contributes to manuscript studies and decolonial aesthetics . Recent publications include co-edited volumes on African Artistic Practices (2024), Decolonial Aesthetics (2023), and Travelling Texts (2020). She serves on editorial boards for journals like Matatu and Swahili Forum . Scientific Awards : Wissenschaftspreis (University of Bayreuth, 2012), Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz-Prize (DFG, 2012) Prof. Vierke is Chairperson of the Afrophone Caucus of the African Literature Association (2015–present) and organizes the annual Swahili Colloquium . Her work bridges precolonial and contemporary Swahili traditions, emphasizing textual mobility and multilingual contexts .
Prof. Dr. Jakob Leimgruber is Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Regensburg since 2022, where he is affiliated with the Department of English and American Studies within the Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Cultures. Previously, he served as Substitute Professor at the University of Freiburg (2020-2022) and Lecturer at the University of Basel (2018-2022). His academic journey includes a Habilitation in English Philology from the University of Freiburg (2018), a DPhil in English Language from the University of Oxford (2009), and a Licence ès lettres in English Linguistics from the University of Fribourg (2005). Leimgruber's research centers on World Englishes with particular focus on East and Southeast Asia, sociolinguistics, language planning and policy, linguistic landscapes, language contact phenomena, language variation and change, indexicality, and authenticity. His work employs empirical approaches including corpus linguistics, fieldwork, and eye-tracking methodologies to investigate multilingual contexts across Singapore, Montreal, Taiwan, and the UAE. He has made significant contributions to understanding Singapore English, linguistic landscapes in multilingual cities, and language variation in postcolonial contexts. His publication record demonstrates consistent research output across multiple high-impact journals in linguistics, with a strong focus on empirical studies of language variation in specific contexts. Recent work shows increased attention to East Asian Englishes beyond Singapore, including Taiwan, and expanding investigations into the linguistic landscapes of global cities like Dubai. His research often employs collaborative approaches with international scholars across multiple institutions. Leimgruber has been active in academic service through numerous conference presentations including invited talks at institutions worldwide, participation in research workshops, and contributions to edited volumes on World Englishes and multilingual cities. His work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications in language policy and education. As an academic leader, Leimgruber has directed research projects examining multilingualism in global contexts, with particular attention to the role of English in shaping linguistic landscapes and identity construction. His recent work has increasingly focused on comparative approaches across different multilingual settings, examining common patterns and context-specific variations in how English functions in diverse sociolinguistic environments.
Dr. Philip Bockholt is a Junior Professor (Tenure Track) for the History of the Turco-Persian World and Emmy Noether Junior Research Group Leader at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies , University of Münster. His research focuses on the history of the Eastern Islamic World (1400–1800), transregional translation processes, knowledge transfer in the Eastern Mediterranean, manuscript studies, and confessional groups in Islam. He is the principal investigator of the DFG-funded TRANSLAPT Emmy Noether Group (2022–2028) and leads the subproject Arabic-Ottoman Translations of Qurʾānic Exegesis (Tafsīr) within the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2060. 2024: Habilitation in Islamic Studies 2018: PhD, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies 2005–2013: BA/MA in Islamic Studies, History, and Theology (Bochum, Münster, Berlin, Jerusalem, Cairo, Istanbul, Tehran) His research explores intra-Islamic knowledge transfer via Arabic-Persian-Ottoman translations, with a focus on historiography, mirror-of-princes literature, and manuscript variants. He has extensively analyzed the Ḥabīb al-Siyar by Khvāndamīr and its cross-regional dissemination. His recent articles examine textual modifications in Safavid-to-Ottoman translations, multilingualism in Ottoman-Persian contexts, and manuscript annotations as evidence of readership engagement. He co-edited Elsine-i S̱elās̱e: Cultural Analysis of Ottoman Translation (2025) and Multilingualism, Translation, Transfer: Persian in the Ottoman Empire (2024). 2020 Classical Islamic World Book Prize 2019 Annemarie-Schimmel-Stiftung Forschungspreis 2019 S.I.E. European Award Honorable Mention 2015 I.B. Tauris Prize DFG Emmy Noether Funding Bockholt supervises four doctoral candidates on topics including Ottoman Quranic exegesis, biographical dictionaries, and Sufi networks. He has held visiting positions at institutions in Tokyo, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, and St. Petersburg. His teaching includes seminars on Islamic manuscript culture, Ottoman translation processes, and confessional groups in the early modern Islamic world. He is a scientific secretary in the Saxon Academy of Sciences’ Afrika – Asien – Europa commission and organizes international conferences on manuscript transmission and Persian-Ottoman exchange.
Nessim Znaien serves as Assistant Professor of History of Colonial and Postcolonial Maghreb at Philipps University of Marburg's Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) since 2022, where he heads the Maghreb Field of Expertise team. His academic trajectory spans French institutions including Aix-Marseille University and research roles at the French Research Institute on Contemporary Maghreb in Tunis. His educational background includes: PhD in History, Université Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne (2012-2017) with thesis 'The Grapes of domination. Social History of Alcohol in Tunisia under Protectorate (1881-1956)' MA in History, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (2011-2012) CAPES in History (2009) Bachelor’s degree in Modern Standard Arabic, Aix-Marseille University (2014-2018) University degrees in Italian (B2) and Turkish (B1) from Aix-Marseille University (2018-2021) Znaien's research centers on 19th-20th century North African history through material and food studies, examining colonial societies' structures and Tunisian historiography. His work uniquely bridges alcohol history with broader socio-economic patterns, revealing how substances like wine, bread, and harissa became sites of colonial control, cultural resistance, and identity formation. This approach illuminates the intersection of environmental, economic, and cultural forces in Mediterranean colonial contexts. His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent thematic focus on colonial North Africa's social history, with recurring analysis of alcohol systems, food economies, and material culture. The work shows sophisticated methodological integration of environmental history, economic anthropology, and postcolonial theory, particularly examining how colonial policies reshaped local consumption patterns and production systems across Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. Znaien actively contributes to academic infrastructure through research leadership and peer review. He coordinated a €30,000 Foundation for Research on Alcoholism project (2014-2019) on 'Alcohol under the French Empire,' participated in ERC's TARICA project (2017-2020) analyzing post-Arab Spring North Africa, and contributed to the French 'Bourgeon Project' (2017-2019) on Muslim world alcohol histories. He serves on scientific boards for L'Année du Maghreb and the Digital Encyclopedia of European History, while reviewing for journals including Journal of Medical History and Journal of North African Studies. As head of the Maghreb Field of Expertise team at CNMS, Znaien directs research on contemporary North African societies while maintaining strong connections to Tunisian academic networks through his editorial roles and ongoing historiographical analyses of post-revolutionary Tunisia.
Maxim Romanov heads 'The Evolution of Islamic Societies' project at University of Hamburg's Asia-Africa-Institut, funded by DFG's Emmy Noether Program. Former positions include senior research fellow at KITAB Project and University of Vienna. Research reconstructs social history of Islamic world (c.600-1600 CE) through computational analysis of Arabic chronicles and biographical collections. Research Focus: Digital humanities approaches to premodern Islamic history including OCR development for Arabic manuscripts, corpus linguistics, and geospatial modeling of historical data. Technical Contributions: Developed OpenITI corpus infrastructure, al-Ṯurayyā gazetteer system, and computational methods for large-scale historical text analysis. Recent work enhances NLP for classical Arabic with OCR accuracy exceeding 90%.
Tom Khaled Würdemann is a researcher and freelance lecturer affiliated with the Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies and the University of Heidelberg , specializing in Middle East studies, political science, and transcultural analysis. His work focuses on Jewish-Arab relations, conflict resolution, and the historical and ideological dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Education: Pursuing a PhD in Palestinian Studies at the Institut für Palästina-Studien since 2023. Research Interests: Würdemann's research bridges political science, historical analysis, and social theory, examining themes such as settler colonialism, ideological alliances, and the role of media in conflict narratives. He critically analyzes state formation, antisemitism, and the complexities of Jewish identity in the Islamic world. Publications: His recent work includes analyses of the Assad regime, comparative perspectives on Maoism and Israeli military figures, and critiques of deradicalization strategies. He explores intersections between Islamist and right-wing movements and contributes to debates on democracy and peacebuilding in the Middle East. Contact: Email: tom.wuerdemann@hcts.uni-heidelberg.de
Regula Forster is a Professor of Islamic History and Culture at the University of Tübingen, where she has served since 2020. She currently holds the position of Vice Dean for Research of the Faculty of Humanities. Previously, she was Professor of Arabic Studies at Freie Universität Berlin (2018-2020) and an SNSF professor at the University of Zürich (2016-2018). Her academic journey includes a junior professorship at Freie Universität Berlin (2008-2018) and post-doctoral research at the University of Oxford (2007-2008). PhD (Dr. phil.) from University of Zurich (2005) Habilitation from Freie Universität Berlin (2015) Studied German, Arabic, and Philosophy at Universities of Zürich, Tübingen and Birzeit (1994-2000) Professor Forster's research focuses on the intersection of literature, science, and religion in the Islamic world. Her primary areas include Arabic alchemy, particularly the works of Ibn Arfa' Ra's, knowledge transmission through literary forms, Quranic exegesis, and cultural exchanges between East and West. She examines how scientific knowledge was conveyed through dialogues, poetry, and other literary forms in medieval Arabic texts. Her publication record shows a strong focus on alchemy in the Islamic world, with numerous articles analyzing alchemical poetry, manuscripts, and the relationship between religious scholarship and scientific practice. She has also made significant contributions to understanding the transmission of Aristotelian knowledge through texts like the Sirr al-asrār/Secretum secretorum across cultural boundaries. Professor Forster has organized and participated in numerous international conferences and workshops on Islamic studies, alchemy, and manuscript culture. She serves as editor for the 'Islam' section of Orientalistische Literaturzeitung since 2009 and has edited special issues on alchemy in the Islamicate world. She leads a major research project on the Alchemist Ibn Arfa' Ra's and his poetry collection Šuḏūr aḏ-ḏahab ('The Gold Splinters'), examining how traditional religious scholarship in the Arab-Islamic world was reconciled with 'secret science' such as alchemy. This project involves extensive manuscript research across multiple institutions worldwide.
