Mission

Engaging the Mind. Building Communities.

Who 

The Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies (CCMS) is run by its director, Dr. Adel Iskandar, and his CCMS team composed of the steering committee, staff members and research assistants. 

What

CCMS fosters academic and public discussion and understanding of Muslim societies and cultures. It shifts the analysis from the notion of a single religious landscape defined by the religion of Islam to that of Muslims of different experiences and interpretations as agents in the construction of their societies and cultures within specific contexts. 

CCMS conducts its activities in such a way as to serve SFU’s mission of engaging the community and the world along the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion, and to enhance the reputation of the research and academic programs of the University. It achieves its purpose by curating events and programs that create a safe space for discussion, relationship building and academic and community outreach. 

Why

Muslim societies and cultures have increasingly become the focus of public and academic attention. CCMS works to broaden the discussion and to introduce more comparison and complexity in the study of Muslim societies and cultures from Africa, through the Arab and Persianate world, and into Asia and the West. Muslim communities in the West  face increasing challenges as well that CCMS seeks to address.

How

By incorporating the cultural experiences of diverse Muslim societies, CCMS expands the possibilities of comparison and collaboration with critical consequence. It does so by providing a variety of opportunities and platforms for conversations and engagement for faculty, students and the larger public. CCMS serves as a bridge between academia and the public and invests in community outreach. CCMS ensures spaces for conversations, engagement and relationship-building. These include an Annual Lecture Series, a Community Conversation Series, the Muslim Community Fellowship, Summer Schools, workshops and conferences that address both academic and public interes

CCMS has brought numerous academic specialists to campus for lectures and consultations; convened interdisciplinary conferences and workshops; established a highly-regarded summer school alternating between Vancouver and London (UK); organized film festivals, art exhibits, and concerts; created residencies, scholarships and visiting professorships; and solicited contributions of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish language material for the SFU research library.

Where

The Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies is located on the Simon Fraser University Burnaby Campus on the sixth floor of the Academic Quadrangle. It also has an office at the Harbour Centre,  downtown Vancouver. It holds events at both campuses and other various locations as well. To view our upcoming lectures and other Centre events, please take a look at our Upcoming Events.