Olivier Roy will be joining the EUI School of Transnational Governance (STG) in September 2021 as adjunct professor. His appointment comes at a time in which the interaction between religion and politics is high on the agenda due to the crisis in Afghanistan. Roy will contribute to enhancing the School’s academic profile on the Middle East and the role of Islam.
“Understanding political Islam has made up a big part of the political discourse of the two decades since 9/11", said Prof Fabrizio Tassinari, Executive Director of the STG. “The events of the past weeks in Afghanistan only show how central it still is. It is therefore an honour to welcome Olivier Roy in our faculty as an adjunct professor.”
As one of the world’s leading experts on Afghanistan, Professor Roy’s opinion on the developing crisis is sought-after. “The Taliban are not the same as twenty years ago,” Prof Olivier Roy said. “The Taliban are no jihadists, they don’t export Islamism, but want to create an Islamic state in Afghanistan.”
Speaking about the 26 August attacks in Kabul, he added. “The Kabul attacks are no surprise, because ISIS is the Taliban’s number one enemy.”
Professor Roy will teach about political Islam to STG master students, fellows and policy professionals who are taking part in executive trainings. “Current policy-makers and future leaders need a fine-grained understanding of political Islam, its ramifications and how it interacts with other actors. Sadly, the situation in Afghanistan shows this is more relevant than ever before."
Olivier Roy joined the European University Institute in 2009. While at the STG, he will continue to be affiliated with the Robert Schuman Centre as Chair. His previous positions include those of senior researcher at the French CNRS and Professor at the EHESS in Paris.
Roy has published widely on the role of Islam in the Middle East and around the world. His first publication on the topic was the book “Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan”, which was published in 1986. In his most recent book “Is Europe Christian?” (2019), Roy traces the Church’s battle against secularisation.