Professor Khaled Hussainey is a Professor of Accounting at Bangor Business School, appointed in April 2024. He previously held academic roles at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Stirling, Manchester, and Ain Shams Universities. With over 25 years of teaching experience, his research focuses on corporate narrative reporting, XBRL, and sustainability. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and secured grants from ESRC, Qatar National Research Foundation, and others. His qualifications include a Ph.D. in Accounting & Finance from the University of Manchester (2004), an M.Sc. from the University of Birmingham (2000), and a B.Com. from Ain Shams University (1994). He has supervised 56 PhD and 7 DBA theses. Research interests include corporate governance, earnings management, Islamic accounting, and big data. He serves as Co-Editor of the Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting and Editor of the International Journal of Emerging Markets . His work has been recognized in Stanford University's Top 2% Researchers list (2023). Grants include £60,000 from ESRC (2005), $120,000 from Qatar NFR (2014), and £48,412 from the British Council (2019). He has held visiting professorships at King Khalid University, Tunis University, and others. He actively participates in international conferences and serves as an external assessor for promotions and research funds globally. His recent articles address sustainability reporting, FinTech disclosure, and climate governance. He emphasizes interdisciplinary research linking accounting practices with technological and environmental trends.
Dr. Galina Miazhevich is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) at Cardiff University, UK. Previously, she served as a lecturer at the University of Leicester's School of Media, Communication and Sociology (2013-2017) and as the Gorbachev Media Research Fellow at the University of Oxford (2008-2012). Her academic career focuses on media representations in post-communist contexts, with particular expertise in Russian and Eastern European media landscapes. Dr. Miazhevich earned her PhD from the University of Manchester, where she subsequently worked for two years as a Research Associate on an AHRC-funded project examining representations of Islam as a security threat. Her educational background has informed her research trajectory, which bridges media studies, political communication, and cultural analysis of post-Soviet societies. Dr. Miazhevich's research spans several interconnected domains: media representations of Islam and multiculturalism in Europe; media and democracy in post-communist Europe; gender, media, and emergent forms of post-Soviet identity; feminism; Eurovision and popular culture; and diaspora, transnationalism, and media. Her work consistently examines how media shapes and is shaped by political transitions, identity formation, and social movements in post-Soviet contexts, with particular attention to marginalized voices and resistance practices. Analysis of Dr. Miazhevich's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on resistance, identity, and power dynamics in post-Soviet media environments. Her work increasingly examines gender and sexuality as political categories, particularly through the lens of feminist and LGBTQ+ resistance to authoritarian regimes. The Eurovision Song Contest serves as a recurring analytical framework for understanding cultural diplomacy and nation-branding strategies. More recently, her research has pivoted toward documenting anti-war resistance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, examining how celebrities and media figures navigate political dissent under authoritarian conditions. Dr. Miazhevich has received several notable recognitions for her scholarly contributions: AHRC Leadership grant 'A Quiet Revolution: Discursive Representations of Non-heteronormative Sexuality in Russia' (2018-2020, £250,960) Visiting Fellowship at the Davis Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University (Fall 2023) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) Associate Editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Communication (2024) Dr. Miazhevich actively mentors the next generation of scholars, currently co-supervising PhD students Diyana Dobreva (with Professor Martin Innes) and John Tasker (with Professor Paul Bowman). She welcomes PhD proposals in areas including digital culture and resistance, media management and misinformation, media and democracy, representation of minority groups, post-communist identity politics, gender and feminism, Eurovision and popular culture, and geopolitics and nation-branding. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained success in securing competitive research funding, including leadership of an AHRC grant and participation in the Academy of Finland project FEMCORUS (2021-2025). Dr. Miazhevich is deeply engaged with academic communities, serving as co-convenor of the (Digital) Media and Culture group at the British Association for Slavic and East European Studies (BASEES) since 2016 and as a member of the Advisory Board of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) since 2021. Her work extends beyond academia through public engagement, including invited talks at prestigious institutions like Harvard University and participation in policy-relevant events at Chatham House addressing LGBTQ+ politics in Russia.
Maureen Meadows is a Professor of Strategic Management at Coventry University's Research Centre for Business in Society. Her work focuses on strategic decision-making, big data applications, privacy in business models, and M&A dynamics. She previously held leadership roles at the Open University and Warwick Business School, where she contributed to strategic management education and research. Education: PhD in Open University (2016) MSc in Management Science from University of Warwick (1987) Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics (Oxford University, 1986) Research Interests: Strategic management tools (e.g., scenario planning), customer data analytics, privacy implications of data sharing, and post-merger integration. She has co-led projects on surveillance society blurring and privacy in the digital economy, funded by Leverhulme and EPSRC. Key Projects: Leverhulme-funded 'Taking Liberties?' (surveillance society) EPSRC-funded 'Monetize Me?' (privacy and quantified self) Co-designing digital strategies for museums and education sectors Grants & Collaborations: Multiple internally-funded projects on board assurance frameworks, creative accounting, and hybrid business models in museums. Active in international conferences and professional bodies like BAM Council. Awards: While no specific prizes are listed, her h-index of 24 and 1,891 citations reflect significant scholarly impact.
Professor Hisham Farag is a distinguished academic at the University of Birmingham , where he serves as Professor of Finance and Director of Research at the Birmingham Business School . He is also the Founding Director of the Sustainable Financial Innovation Research Centre (SFIC) , underscoring his leadership in advancing research in sustainable finance and financial innovation. His work is deeply embedded in the Department of Finance , where he contributes to both research and academic leadership. His primary research interests span a wide and impactful range of topics in modern finance, including FinTech , corporate governance , board structure and diversity , corporate social responsibility (CSR) , behavioural finance , sustainable finance , ESG , and green finance . His research investigates how governance mechanisms, board composition, and financial innovations influence firm performance, risk, and ethical outcomes, particularly in both developed and emerging markets. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on global corporate governance, alternative finance, and the social dimensions of finance. Key themes include the role of board diversity in bank stability, the impact of FinTech on entrepreneurship, and the integration of CSR in Islamic and Chinese financial institutions. His work frequently appears in top-tier journals such as the Journal of Corporate Finance , British Journal of Management , and European Journal of Finance . Professor Farag has received significant research funding from notable institutions including the Bank of England , Innovate UK (Energy Systems Catapult) , and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) . His research projects have addressed critical issues such as board effectiveness, risk in financial institutions, and investment decisions in hedge funds. He is actively involved in the academic community, serving as Associate Editor for several prestigious journals: European Journal of Finance , Research in International Business and Finance , Business Ethics European Review , and African Accounting and Finance Association . He has also co-authored a research monograph titled Balancing the Board: Directors’ Skills and Diversity , funded by ICAS. Among his accolades, he received the Best Paper Award at the Global Finance Conference in California, USA. His scholarly output includes numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and professional reports, reflecting a sustained and influential contribution to the field of finance.
Sharon Macdonald is Alexander von Humboldt Professor of Social Anthropology and Director of the Centre for Anthropological Research on Museums and Heritage (CARMAH) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She holds honorary professorships at the University of York and University of Aberdeen, with research focusing on museums, heritage, memory studies, and European anthropology. Her research explores difficult heritage, museum practices, cultural diversity, and the anthropology of Europe. Key projects include 'Making Differences: Transforming Museums and Heritage in the Twenty-first Century' and 'Heritage Futures', examining how societies preserve cultural and natural heritage. Notable awards include the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship and fellowships from the Royal Anthropological Institute and Royal Historical Society. She serves on editorial boards for leading journals including Memory Studies and International Journal of Heritage Studies . She has supervised over 15 PhD students in topics ranging from queer museum representation to Islamic art preservation. Current doctoral projects include studies on wearable ontologies and digital curation in heritage contexts. Macdonald frequently engages in public discourse through keynote lectures, museum consultations, and international panels on heritage politics and decolonization practices.
Rodrigo García-Velasco is an academic staff member at the Department of History, University College London (UCL), specializing in medieval Iberian history, with a focus on economic and legal interactions between Jews, Muslims, and Christians. He leads the project Documentary Afterlives: Recycling the Past in Premodern Iberian Judiciaries, 1371-1600 , exploring how marginalized groups preserved and reused legal documents in Castile. He is also completing his first book, Jews and Muslims Before the Law in Christian Iberia, 1000-1200 , analyzing the emergence of legal distinctions for religious minorities in municipal laws. His research interests include medieval legal systems, religious minority treatments, Arabic-Latin literary exchanges, Mediterranean mobility, and the historiography of convivencia. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2019), and has worked as a Rothschild Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow there. Publications span Medieval Encounters , al-Masaq , and edited volumes on Christian-Muslim relations. His work emphasizes the role of documentary practices in post-conquest societies, linking Islamicate legal knowledge to Christian institutional management of land and heritage.
Benedetta Voltolini is a Senior Lecturer in European Foreign Policy at King’s College London’s Department of European & International Studies, part of the School of Politics & Economics. She holds a PhD in International Relations from LSE and has held roles including Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at Sciences Po Paris and lecturer at Maastricht University. Her research focuses on EU foreign policy dynamics, particularly in the Middle East, with specialties in framing processes, occupation policies, and democracy promotion. Key research interests include EU engagement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Mediterranean policy post-Arab Uprisings, and non-state actor influence in policy-making. She has authored/co-authored books such as *Crisis and Politicisation* (2021) and *The EU in the Mediterranean after the Arab Uprisings* (2018), and contributes to journals like *Journal of European Integration* and *Geopolitics*. Her work highlights tensions between EU discourse and practice in conflict zones, emphasizing framing mechanisms and selective engagement strategies. She co-leads the European Foreign Policy Research Group at King’s, fostering interdisciplinary discussions on EU foreign policy evolution. Current projects explore EU responses to geopolitical crises and post-Trump era transatlantic dynamics.
Professor Yusuf Karbhari is a Professor of Accounting at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University. With a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has established himself as an expert in accounting, particularly in the areas of public sector accounting, Islamic finance, and corporate governance in emerging economies. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications across diverse economic contexts, from the UK public sector to Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian financial systems. Professor Karbhari holds a PhD and MBA from institutions in Wales, along with a BA (Hons) degree. His educational background has provided the foundation for his extensive research career focused on accounting practices in both developed and emerging economies. Professor Karbhari's research interests encompass a wide range of topics including Accounting and Accountability in government sectors across the Middle East and Malaysia, Accounting practices of UK Executive Agencies, International Government Accounting, Communicative Effectiveness of International Auditor's Reports, Financial Reporting and Performance Measurement in UK Central Government, and Managerial and Accounting Reforms in the Public Sector. His work particularly emphasizes the intersection of traditional accounting principles with cultural and religious contexts, especially in Islamic finance systems. His extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on accounting practices in emerging economies, with particular attention to Islamic banking and finance, corporate governance structures, and public sector accounting. Over the past decade, his research has increasingly examined the role of Sharia boards in Islamic financial institutions, environmental disclosure practices, and the relationship between governance mechanisms and financial performance in diverse economic contexts. Professor Karbhari is available for postgraduate supervision and has research interests that align with his expertise in Accounting and Auditing in Emerging Economies, International Public Sector Accounting, Corporate Governance in emerging economies, and Islamic Banking and Finance. He teaches undergraduate courses in Accounting for Decision Making and Control (Year 2) and Public Sector Accounting (Year 3).
Professor Alison Gascoigne serves as Head of Department in the Department of Archaeology within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Southampton. A specialist in Egyptian archaeology with particular expertise in the Islamic world, she directs significant fieldwork projects and supervises multiple PhD students while maintaining an active research profile. Her research interests focus on the archaeology of the Islamic world, archaeological ceramics, and Medieval Egyptian urbanism. Gascoigne examines urban development patterns from late antiquity through the medieval period, with particular attention to ceramic production systems and environmental interactions. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges archaeology, environmental science, and historical studies to understand societal transformations. Recent publications reveal strong trends in urban archaeology (particularly Fustat and Tinnis), climate-archaeology intersections, and ceramic analysis. Her work increasingly integrates paleoclimatic data with archaeological evidence to explore societal resilience during environmental change, while maintaining deep engagement with Islamic-era material culture across Egypt and the Near East. Her scientific recognition includes prestigious British Academy fellowships: British Academy Reckitt Travelling Fellowship in Archaeology British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Gascoigne actively supervises doctoral research and has secured significant funding from the British Academy, Fondation Max Van Berchem, and The Barakat Trust for projects including the Tell Tinnis survey and educational material development. Her external engagements include editorial review for Iran and Journal of Islamic Archaeology, chairing Arts & Humanities Research Council panels, and presenting invited lectures internationally on topics ranging from pottery production to urban water systems in medieval Egypt. She leads research groups including the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture, Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, and Coastal Communities Ocean Justice initiatives, directing collaborative interdisciplinary work that bridges archaeological practice with contemporary environmental concerns.
James Davis is a Professor and Head of School at Queen's University Belfast's School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, focusing on medieval English market culture, and has been at Queen's since 2005. His research centers on medieval social and economic history, particularly urban markets, trade, and legal ethics. He leads the History Centre and oversees projects like 'Medieval Street Life: Space, Culture and Commerce' and 'Morality, Law and Misbehaviour in the Medieval English Marketplace.' Education: Bachelor's Degree: University of Durham PhD: University of Cambridge (Retail Trade and Market Culture in Late Medieval England) Research Interests: Dr. Davis explores medieval markets' moral and legal frameworks, urban history, and pre-modern trade networks. His seminal work Medieval Market Morality (2012) investigates ethical dimensions of medieval commerce. Recent projects examine early-Reformation heretical book trade and the cultural role of medieval town spaces. Key Contributions: Published 73+ works including monographs, articles, and edited volumes Recipient of British Academy fellowships and other honors Active in academic governance and peer review (e.g., Economic History Review , Transactions of the Royal Historical Society ) Teaching: Designs modules on medieval social history, including the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 and comparative early modern life in England/Ireland. Grants & Awards: £1.2M funding for collaborative projects British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (2017) Public Engagement: Regular media contributions include BBC Radio discussions on medieval markets, the Black Death, and urban history.
Dr Harry Munt is a Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of York, specializing in the Islamic world (600–1500 CE), with particular focus on the Arabian Peninsula, holy cities, pilgrimage practices, and Arabic historiography. BA (Cambridge), DPhil (Oxford) Joined York in 2014 after British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship at Oxford Research Interests Early Islamic Arabian Peninsula Origins of Arabic local history-writing Hajj pilgrimage development Economic history of Islamic Middle East Interfaith relations in medieval urban centers Contested processes of sacred space creation Recent Publications examine: Caliphal authority in ḥijāz economy Medieval Meccan historiography Hajj ritual evolution Local vs. universal historical narratives Awards British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship Current Projects include a book on medieval Islamic local history-writing and its implications for understanding urban concepts and interfaith dynamics.
Ach Fatayillah Mursyidi is a Researcher at the Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies, Gadjah Mada University, and a PhD candidate in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on the intersection of Islam and modern science, religious authority in digital spaces, and the role of religious organizations in state-building and democracy. Education: PhD Candidate, Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations, University of Edinburgh (ongoing) MA, Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies, Gadjah Mada University BA, Financial Management, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Research Interests: Islamic Studies, Religion and Modern Science, Religion-State dynamics, Human Rights, and Ethnographic Analysis of Religious Practices. Recent Trends in Publications: His work explores digital religion’s impact on religious authority, modern fatwa development, and the role of traditional Islamic institutions like pesantren in Indonesian governance. He also examines minority rights and citizenship issues through case studies of marginalized religious communities. Grants/Awards: Recipient of the Education Endowment Fund (Indonesian Ministry of Finance) and DIKTIS Scholarship (Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs).
Mutalib Anifowose is an Assistant Professor in the Accounting and Financial Management Department at Northumbria University. He holds a Ph.D. in Accounting from the International Islamic University Malaysia, along with an MSc and BSc in Accounting and Finance from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria. His career spans over a decade in auditing, financial reporting, and academia. He currently serves as an advisor to Salihin Chartered Accountants since October 2022. His research focuses on corporate governance, ESG disclosure, sustainable development goals, and the value relevance of corporate reporting. Key themes include the impact of ownership structures on ESG disclosures in sub-Saharan Africa, corruption mitigation through corporate governance frameworks, and the role of integrated reporting in enhancing corporate sustainability value globally. Anifowose’s recent publications (2020–2025) emphasize Africa’s corporate governance challenges, ESG reporting trends in Europe and Asia, and intellectual capital disclosure dynamics in Nigeria. His work highlights the interplay between organizational complexity, disclosure practices, and market outcomes. He is actively accepting PhD students and has contributed to over 30 citations in peer-reviewed journals, with notable works appearing in Corporate Governance (Bingley) and International Journal of Disclosure and Governance . His research collaborations span institutions in Malaysia, Nigeria, and South Africa, reflecting his global academic footprint.
Lars Laamann is a Lecturer at the School of History, Religions and Philosophies, SOAS University of London. His research focuses on the historical interplay between religion, colonialism, and cultural exchange in East Asia, with particular emphasis on Christianity in China and Mongolian religious traditions. He maintains an active research profile as evidenced by his publication record spanning from 1996 to 2025. Dr. Laamann's primary research interests include: The historical development of Christianity in China from the Qing Dynasty to modern times Mongolian religious syncretism and its political implications Protestant and Catholic missionary strategies in Southeast Asia Orthodox Christianity's role in contemporary geopolitical conflicts Colonial-era religious encounters and their sociocultural impacts His scholarly publications demonstrate consistent focus on religious encounters in East Asia, with recent works exploring Orthodox Christianity in conflict zones (Ethiopia/Ukraine), memory studies in Chinese Christianity, and missionary history. The publication trends show increasing attention to comparative religious analysis across different Asian contexts. Dr. Laamann has supervised several doctoral students researching topics including: Qing Dynasty state formation and religious policy (J. Lu) Republican China's communication infrastructure (L.-C. Chen) Cross-cultural encounters in early Qing Empire (W. Kang) Economic transformations in Mongolia (S. Shan) He serves as editor for the Central Asiatic Journal and participates in collaborative research projects examining Orthodox Christianity's political dimensions.
Dr. Abeera Khan is a Lecturer at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS University of London . Their work intersects queer theory, feminist critique, and postcolonial analysis, focusing on subjectivation processes in Muslim-majority communities and secularism debates. PhD in Anthropology from SOAS Research interests include: Queer Muslim Identity Formation Methodologies of Hope in Crisis Essentialism and Epistemological Violence Abolitionist Pedagogies Gender in Postcolonial Contexts
