Khalid Mustafa Medani is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Islamic Studies at McGill University, serving as Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies and Chair of the African Studies Program. He holds a joint appointment between the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Islamic Studies. His academic journey includes degrees from Brown University, Georgetown University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Specializing in Comparative Politics, his research focuses on globalization, political economy, and the intersection of Islamism, ethnicity, and conflict in Africa and the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Sudan, Egypt, and Somalia. His seminal work Black Markets and Militants: Informal Networks in the Middle East and Africa (2021) earned the APSA Best Book Award in 2022 for its groundbreaking analysis of informal financial networks and Islamist movements. Medani has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed journals, including Middle East Report , African Political Economy , and Political Islam . He has held visiting appointments at Stanford University and taught at Oberlin College. Beyond academia, he is a frequent commentator on Sudan’s political crises, offering insights into regional geopolitics, resource conflicts, and democratization processes through media engagements like Democracy Now!, Al Jazeera, and the Globe and Mail . His work bridges theoretical political economy with empirical case studies, emphasizing transnational migration, labor remittances, and the impact of global capital flows on local political dynamics. Educations: PhD (UC Berkeley, 2003), MA (Political Science, UC Berkeley, 1995), MA (Development Studies, Georgetown, 1990), BA (Brown University, 1987) Key Research Themes: Informal economies, Islamist politics, ethnic conflict, globalization, Sudanese history Recent Engagements: Author of award-winning Black Markets and Militants ; panelist on Sudan’s war dynamics at institutions like the University of Michigan and Northwestern University; frequent media contributor on Sudanese politics Medani’s academic leadership includes directing interdisciplinary programs and mentoring students in political science, Islamic studies, and African studies. His work underscores the importance of linking global economic trends to localized political struggles, particularly in conflict-prone regions.











