Dick Douwes

Dick Douwes is Professor of Global History at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Dean of the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication. His research examines late Ottoman history in Syria, religious plurality in the Middle East, and Muslims in Western Europe.

Douwes previously served as academic coordinator and executive director of the International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM) and editor of the ISIM publications series. His scholarship combines historical analysis with contemporary studies of religious and political dynamics in Muslim-majority societies.

Recent research investigates the political significance of religious shrines in Syria, analyzing how these sites become contested spaces during periods of conflict. Publications demonstrate consistent attention to religious diversity, historical memory, and identity politics in Middle Eastern contexts.