The Annual Convention of the Association of Muslim Social scientists

Abstract

The Annual Convention of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists
(AMSS), was held at the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences
in Leesburg, VA 29-31 October.
By all accounts, this convention was a success and heralds a resurgence
of the Association. The convention generated an air of excitement and
expectations about the Association’s immediate future. Over 150 participants
attended and 70 presentations were made. In addition, the convention
was graced by nine foreign scholars: two from India, one from Brunei, one
from Malaysia, three from Canada, one from France, and one from Turkey.
The Faruqi memorial lecture was delivered by AbdulHameed
AbuSulayman, the president of the International Institute of Islamic
Thought (IIlT). He focused on the Muslim communities’ need to focus on
the intellectual development of children because it is an important aspect of
the revival of the ummah. The keynote address at the banquet was given by
Tariq Ramadan a prominent Muslim social scientist and community leader
from France. His talk brought a Efreshing focus to what it means to be an
engaged Western Muslim.
In many ways this convention was a turning point in the history of
AMSS. Here, the old and the new met and had a meaningfid dialogue about
the direction of the Association. The convention also marked a change of
guard as many new and younger Muslim scholars, particularly graduate
students, joined the board. Faizan Haq, a B.D. student at SUNY Buffalo
was elected general secretary and is also in charge of the AMSS outreach ...