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Alexander Wain is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh with a background in studying religions, theories of religion, and their intersection with science, sorcery, and wonder in Islam. His primary research interests lie in tracing the origins and intellectual development of Islam in Southeast Asia, focusing on modern-day Indonesia and Malaysia, with an ancillary focus on China’s Hui Muslim ethnic group. His current research explores the complex Malay Muslim intellectual history from the 15th century to the present, examining elite forms of knowledge such as Kalam and philosophical Sufism, as well as popular religiosities like magic and sorcery. This work aims to demonstrate that Malay Muslims were not merely passive recipients of Islamic teachings but active participants in the formation of a unique Muslim tradition. Previously, Wain researched the dynamics of Islamisation in the Malay and Javanese realms from the 7th to the 17th centuries, interrogating historical narratives and emerging archaeologies of early Islamic kingdoms. His work successfully reconstructed the complex commercial, intellectual, and cultural networks that extended from the Middle East to the Indian Ocean and China, highlighting the significant role of individuals from diverse backgrounds in instigating a religious transformation that continues to shape Southeast Asia today.
University of Edinburgh • Edinburgh
Currently serving as a Teaching Fellow, focusing on undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Conducted research on the intellectual development of Islam in Southeast Asia.
Liverpool John Moores University • Liverpool
Engaged in undergraduate teaching.
University of St Andrews • St Andrews
Engaged in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Department of Marketing