Khaled Keshk is a scholar of early Islamic history. His book
entitled, The Historians' Mu'awiya: The Depiction of Mu'awiya in the Early Islamic Sources (VDM, 2008), dealt
with the historiography of one of the early rulers of the Islamic Empire;
Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. The book examines how the paradigms used by
early historians shaped the construction of Mu’awiya in their narratives. He
has also published several articles which deal with the question of the early
sources and the depiction of certain personalities and the community in these
sources. These articles include “The Historiography of an Execution: The
Killing of Hujr b. ‘Adi” in the Journal of Islamic Studies
(2007), “How to Frame History” in Arabica (2009), and “When did
Mu’awiya Become Caliph?” in Journal of Near Eastern Studies (2010). Dr.
Keshk’s current research interests are still in the area of historiography. In
addition to a continuing interest in the historiography of early Islam, Dr.
Keshk has also developed an interest in the historical imagination of modern
Islamist movements.
Research Interests
- Early Islamic Historiography
- Hagiography
- Jewish Muslim Relations (622-1200 A.D.)
Courses Frequently Taught
REL 116 Introduction to Islam
REL 265 Islamist Political Movements
REL 295 Shi'ite Islam