Workshop call for papers – Moral Economy, Financialisation, and Institutional Power: Rethinking Waqf (Islamic charity) and Western Trust in Modern Political Economy

15 July 2026 (10:00-17:00)

Avenue Campus (room: B65A/2251),

University of Southampton

This hybrid workshop is organised within the framework of the Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies (CIPS), based in the History Department at the University of Southampton.

We aim to publish the proceedings of the workshop as an edited collective volume.

Scholarship on waqf (pious foundation in Islam) and Western Trust has long been shaped by institutional-economic debates.

By situating waqf and trust within debates on moral economy, financialisation, and governance, we seek to reposition Islamic and Christian charitable institutions at the centre of contemporary struggles over power, legitimacy, and the organisation of social life in Muslim and Christian societies.

If you are interested in presenting a paper on any aspect related to the theme, I would be grateful if you could send a brief paragraph outlining your proposal to:

Hormoz Ebrahimnejad by the 15 June 2026

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/5x59nm/doctor-hormoz-ebrahimnejad

Coffee breaks and lunch will be provided. The workshop will conclude with informal refreshments, including nibbles and wine.