Dr Syaza Shukri

Academic Fellow

Syaza Shukri is an associate professor at IIUM who conducts research in the field of political science. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, USA, with highest honours (summa cum laude), with a double-major in political science and history. She earned her Master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the United Kingdom and her PhD from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

Her area of expertise is comparative politics, with a particular emphasis on political Islam and democratisation in Malaysia and the Muslim world. She has authored journal articles and book chapters that are rooted in her doctoral research and other interests, such as identity politics, geopolitics, and populism. Her main research interest lies in the intersection between Islam and democracy, and how this relationship affects a nation’s domestic and foreign interests.

Syaza is a prolific speaker, having expressed her opinions on a variety of topics in numerous settings worldwide. News agencies in Malaysia and beyond have also requested her expert opinion. In addition to the KSI fellowship, Syaza is also a non-resident research fellow at the European Centre for Populism Studies and a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. She is also a columnist for Sinar Daily and an honorary advisor to Global CFO Network.