İlir RRUGA

İlir RRUGA (b. 1980, Tirana) is an Albanian-Turkish scholar and Assistant Professor at Trakya University Faculty of Theology since 2017. A historian of religions with expertise in Christian-Muslim relations in the Balkans, his research spans Ottoman governance, crypto-Christian communities, and Albanian religious identity. He has authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications and serves as editor for Rumeli Journal of Islamic Studies.

• Education: PhD (2016) and MA (2011) in Philosophy and Religious Sciences from Çanakkale/Selçuk Universities
• Leadership: Vice Dean of Seminary at Trakya University (2020-present)
• Editorial: Editor/Managing Editor for Rumeli Journal (2017-present)

His research focuses on:

• Religious pluralism under Ottoman rule
• Historical sociology of Albanian Christian-Muslim interactions
• Orthodox-Catholic dynamics in pre-Ottoman Balkans
• Modern digital missionary activities in Albanian cyberspace

His recent publications examine interfaith coexistence patterns (2018-2023), with particular attention to prison chaplaincy models and crypto-Christianity in Albania. As a book author, he contributed chapters on Albanian religious education (2023) and Ottoman minority policies (2020).