معرفی
Timur Kuran serves as Professor of Economics and Political Science, and Gorter Family Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2007. He holds multiple concurrent appointments including Co-Director of Graduate Studies for MAPE in the Department of Economics and is an Affiliate of the Duke Center for International Development.
His research spans two primary domains:
- Social change dynamics focusing on institutional evolution and preference falsification
- Economic and political history of the Middle East with emphasis on Islamic law's institutional legacy
Recent publications reveal consistent focus on Islamic economic institutions and political development across decades. His 2020 zakat analysis connects religious taxation systems to broader governance challenges, while recent editorial work in the Journal of Comparative Economics demonstrates ongoing scholarly leadership in comparative economic systems.
Professional activities include directing the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), editing the Cambridge University Press book series Economics, Choice and Society, and co-editing the Journal of Comparative Economics. He is a founding member of the Academic Freedom Alliance and serves on the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression advisory council.
Significant grants include the 2024 'Fake Narratives: Founts of Ignorance, Dysfunction, and Polarization Research' project funded by the Institute for Humane Studies, plus prior research initiatives from Chapman University and Georgetown University focusing on economic freedom in Muslim societies.
