Approved research projects:
2016-2022:
- Private Pieties, Mundane Islam and New Forms of Muslim Religiosity: Impact on Contemporary Social and Political Dynamics, an "Advanced Grant"-Project of the European Research Council (six regional studies, Senegal, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran and Pakistan; five research fellows: PD Dr. Katja Föllmer, Dr. Liza Franke, Dr. Jan-Peter Hartung, Johanna Kühn, Dr. Nadine Sieveking).
Since 2007 (and ongoing):
- Principal Investigator at graduate college “Muslim Cultures and Societies: Unity and Diversity” at Freie Universität Berlin within the framework of the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal Government and the state governments.
2005-2009:
- „Plural conceptions of time in (trans-)local contexts“, DFG-financed research project at "Zentrum Moderner Orient" Berlin, in cooperation with Dr. Hassan Mwakimako (University of Nairobi).
2004-2007:
- „Dimensions of identity formation. Lived and imagined affiliations in the islamic world.“, research project at Fritz Thyssen-Stiftung for the promotion of science (in cooperation with Prof. Dr. André Gingrich, University of Vienna).
2002-2004:
- „Sokrates“-researcher and student exchange programme with Helsinki University (DAAD; with Prof. Dr. Holger Weiss, Department of African and Asian Studies, Helsinki University).
2000-2005:
- Leadership of Subproject C4 „The islamic education system in East Africa between locality and globality“ within the DFG-financed „Kulturwissenschaftliches Forschungskolleg“ (560) at the University of Bayreuth on the topic of „Local agency in Africa in the context of global Influences“ (in cooperation with Dr. Rüdiger Seesemann and Dr. Norbert Oberauer).
1990-1995:
- „Muslims in Senegal: Secular State and Islamic Society“. Research project within the DFG-financed Subproject B 5 of SFB 214 „Identity in Africa“, led by Professor Dr. Jamil M. Abun-Nasr.
1985-1990:
- „Muslims in Nigeria: Islamic Renewal and political change in north Nigeria“. Research project within the framework of DFG-financed subproject B 5 of SFB 214 „Identity in Africa“, led by Professor Dr. Jamil M. Abun-Nasr.