Dr. Louay Safi is Professor of Political Science and Islamic Thought at CIS and Senior Fellow with the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) and Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU).
Dr. Safi has been active in defending human rights and promoting democracy for over two decades. He is a founding member of the Syrian National Council (SNC) and the Syrian National Coalition (2011–2014). He is also co-founder and first chair of the Syrian American Council (2005–2011), and co-founder and former board member of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (1999–2007). He is a prolific author and frequent speaker on issues of human rights, the Middle East, peace, leadership, and Islam and the West, and an advocate of human rights and civil liberties. He has authored 20 books, including “The Qur’anic Narrative” (Praeger 2008), “Tensions and Transitions in the Muslim World” (University Press of America, 2003), “Peace and the Limits of War” (IIIT 2001), and “The Challenge of Modernity” (University Press of America, 1994).
Dr. Safi has considerable experience in developing communications strategy as the Communications Director of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the official spokesperson of the main Syrian Opposition. He has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs, including CNN, BBC, Monte Carlo, Fox News, Sky News, Voice of America, PBS, Middle East TV (MBC), Aljazeera News and Aljazeera English, Al Arabiya News, Russia Today, Alhurra, Malaysian TV, Turkish TV, Syrian TV, Canada TV (CTV), Future TV, and others.
