Staff Directory

Academic Qualification
- Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science) - Doctor of Philosophy, International Islamic University Malaysia
- Master of Science in Comparative Politics (Democracy) - Masters Degree, London School of Economics and Political Science
- Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor Degree, University of Pittsburgh
Syaza Farhana Binti Mohamad Shukri (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Associate Professor
IIUM Gombak Campus
ABDULHAMID ABUSULAYMAN KULLIYYAH OF ISLAMIC REVEALED KNOWLEDGE AND HUMAN SCIENCES
Other's position:
Head, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
syazashukri@iium.edu.my
6052
Expert Profile
Syaza Shukri is an associate professor at IIUM doing research on political science. She is also a Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore from December 2023 until April 2024, and a Non-Resident Research Fellow at the European Centre for Populism Studies.
Her area of specialization is in comparative politics, specifically in political Islam and democratization in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with recent focus on her home country of Malaysia. She has published numerous articles and book chapters based on her doctoral research and other interests including in the areas of populism, identity politics, and geopolitics, focusing on Malaysia and the Muslim world in general. Her latest edited book published with Emerald Publication came out in July 2023 titled Pandemic, Politics, and a Fairer Society in Southeast Asia: a Malaysian Perspective.
She has received funding for research projects in inter-ethnic relations in Malaysia (university grant), gender discrimination at the workplace (national grant), Maqasid al-Shariah in politics (international grant) and a comparative study of the Muslim world (international grant). She has also received funding for a consultation with an international organization for a project on political Islam in Malaysia.
Syaza has also been invited to share her views on various matters with the European Centre for Populism Studies based in Brussels, Ummatics based in the UK, Asialink which is part of the University of Melbourne, the Asia Centre in Thailand, Wanita Berdaya Selangor, Institute of Research and Development Policy in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Parliament, and Qatar University’s Office for Research and Graduate Studies. She has also been invited by scholars from different parts of the world, including Hong Kong, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia, to collaborate on various projects.
Her expert opinion has been sought by the likes of Bloomberg, Germany's ARD, Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, the Anadolu Agency in Turkey, Sinar Daily, New Straits Times, the Malay Mail, Free Malaysia Today, Malaysiakini and BFM, among others. She is regularly featured on Malaysia's state TV, RTM.
She graduated summa cum laude (with highest honour) for her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, USA, with a double-major in political science and history. She received her Master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, and her PhD from the International Islamic University Malaysia in 2018.
Area of Specialisation
- Social Science ~ Social Science ~ Political Sciences and Public Policy ~ Other Political Sciences and Public Policy n.e.c.
Professional Membership
- 2015 - 2017: Member of Profesional Body / Association: (Member), Association of Asian Studies
- 2019 - 2020: Member of Profesional Body / Association: (Member), Asian Political and International Studies Association
- 2019: Member of Profesional Body / Association: (Lifetime Member), Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia
- 2020: Member of Profesional Body / Association: (Member), American Political Science Association
- 2022 - 2022: Member of Profesional Body / Association: (Member), Middle East Studies Association
Research Projects
Completed
2021 - 2022 | The Application of Maqasid al-Shariah in Multicultural Malaysia: Developing Strong Institutions for Interethnic Unity |
2020 - 2022 | Analysis on interethnic inclusivity to develop peaceful national co-existence: Convergence or Divergence between urban Malay-Bumiputera in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching |
2018 - 2023 | New Framework to Enhance Women's Leadership and Political Empowerment in Achieving Inclusive Development |
2018 - 2019 | Diskriminasi Gender Dalam Amalan Pekerjaan dikalangan golongan Profesional |
On-Going
2023 - Present | Societal Developments in Malaysia |
2023 - Present | Muslim Politics in Plural Societies |
2022 - Present | International Relations Theory and the Muslim World: Toward an Islamic IR Theory |
2020 - Present | Islamophobia in Non-Western Context: The Cases of Bangladesh and Indonesia |
Award & Recognition
09 Jun, 2023 | Integrity Award - Silver - AHAS KIRKHS | KCDIO |
10 Jun, 2022 | Promising Award for Research - Gold - AHAS KIRKHS | KCDIO |
21 Jun, 2021 | Promising Award for Research - KIRKHS | KCDIO |
Publications
Article
Conference or Workshop Item
2023 | Populist leaders in Malaysia: why are they popular?. In: Scholarship Advancement Programme, |
2023 | Three decades of digital authoritarianism in Malaysia: the government’s role in polarizing society. In: The Malaysia and Singapore Society of Australia (MASSA) Symposium 2023 'Who Are You, Malaysia? Representations of Malaysia's Past, Present and Future after 60 Years of Nationhood.', |
2022 | Evolving visions of paradise: how Mahathir Mohamad used Islam. In: Scholarship Advancement Programme (SAP), |
2022 | The application of maqasid al-shariah in multicultural Malaysia: developing strong institutions for interethnic unity. In: IIIT-STRATEGIC RESEARCH PROJECT (SRP) 2020 “APPLIED MAQASID STUDIES”, |
2022 | The role of Islamic governance in promoting national peace and security: the case of Malaysia (2010-2020). In: International Conference On Peace & Conflict Resolution (ICPCR) 2022, |
2021 | In Limbo: Islamist populism and democratic stagnation in Malaysia. In: International Symposium on Democratic Governance and Democratic Recession in the Indo-Pacific Region, |
2021 | Muslim minority and transnational jihad: The cases of Xinjiang and Rakhine. In: 4th Politics & International Relations Congress, |
2021 | Stuck in limbo: Islamist populism a factor of Malaysia’s inability to consolidate democracy. In: SEARI: Democratic Recession in Southeast Asia, |
2020 | An analysis of public sentiments towards Malaysian Government's Policies in managing COVID-19 pandemic. In: WAPOR Asia 3rd Annual Conference:, |
2020 | Dignity and political expectation of the Malay electorate in Malaysia. In: 1st Virtual International Conference on Equality, Religious Harmony and Peace 2020, |
2019 | Populism in Muslim democracies and its absence. In: International Conference on Religion, Governance and Sustainable Development, |
2019 | Populism in Muslim democracies and its absence. In: Asia Pacific Social Sciences Conference, |
2018 | Islamophobia in the most populous Muslim majority country: a case study of Indonesia. In: International Conference on Religion, Culture and Governance in the Contemporary World (ICRCG 2018), |
2018 | Malaysia-Qatar relationship: perspective from Malaysia: an emerging middle power. In: The 3rd Annual International Interdisciplinary Conference 2018, |
2017 | Changing strategy by the AKP: the power of populism in the 21st century. In: Rethinking Governance in an Era of Global Insecurities, Regional Tensions and Rising Nationalism 2017, |
2015 | The role of ethnic politics in promoting democratic governance: a case study of Malaysia. In: 9th Asian Political and International Studies Association Conference (APISA 9), |
Book
2023 | Pandemic, politics, and a fairer society in Southeast Asia: a Malaysian perspective. Emerald Publishing, ISBN: 978-1-80455-589-7 |
Book Section
Monograph
2022 | Religious populism: cyberspace and digital authoritarianism in Asia. In: European Center for Populism Studies, |
2019 | Diskriminasi gender dalam amalan pekerjaan di kalangan penjawat awam di negeri Selangor. In: Institut Wanita Berdaya, |