Abdeslam E. M. Maghraoui

Dr. Maghraoui is associate professor of the practice of political science. He is core faculty in the Duke Islamic Studies Center and Duke University Middle East Studies Center. His research focuses on the interactions between culture and politics in the context of Arab and Muslim majority countries. His work encompasses three overlapping areas of research: "political identity," "political institutions," and "political behavior and attitudes." His work on political identity investigates the tensions between the modern notion of citizenship and competing social identities in the Middle East. His research on institutions examines how autocratic Arab monarchies, which draw legitimacy from inherited tradition use modern institutions to reproduce non-democratic forms of domination. His work on political attitudes explores the tensions between conformity to group norms and the quest for individual autonomy among youths in predominantly Muslim societies. The common thread among these three areas of research is an exploration of the central role of language as a tool to assert identity, renew authoritarian relations, and claim individual autonomy. Professor Maghraoui's research addresses key political challenges facing states and societies in North Africa and the Middle East today. Among these are the questions of democratization, the role of religion in public life, youth empowerment, and governance.