Teije Hidde Donker’s research interests revolve around questions of power, identity and religion in contexts of political transitions, focusing specifically on Tunisia, Syria and Turkey. He does this in relation to mobilized Islam─or mobilization aimed at structuring society and politics according to Islam as faith.
In his latest research, he explores the intersection between structural defined fields and symbolic use of religion in mobilized Islam. Specifically, he analyzes how the individual positions of Islamists in socio-religious fields relate to the strategic use of religious identities and authority in their mobilization efforts. In Sfax, Tunisia, he does this regarding state control of mosques; in Aleppo, Syria, regarding religion and rebel governance; and in Konya, Turkey, regarding Islam and state education. The research builds on a combination of quantitative field analysis (specifically a multiple correspondence analysis of original survey data) and an extensive ethnography among Islamists, activists and other stakeholders in these countries.
Teije H. Donker previously held a postdoctoral fellowship at the department of Comparative Politics at the University of Bergen, Norway. He received his PhD in social and political sciences from the European University Institute in Florence (2013), his Msc from the University of Amsterdam (2008) and Bsc from the Radboud University in Nijmegen (2006). In addition he held research positions at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael and Princeton University.