Biography
Youshaa Patel’s primary area of specialization crosses the intersection of Islam, ethics and public life, with special interests in inter-religious cooperation and conflict as well as Islamic scripture and law. Both his teaching and research draw upon sustained cultural engagement with the Middle East and South Asia; it includes research stays in India, Qatar, Yemen, Jordan, and a Fulbright-Hays fellowship in Syria.
Prior to joining Lafayette College, Patel was an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Lehigh University, and a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University.
Patel earned his Ph.D. and M. Phil. from Duke University through the Graduate Program of Religion, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.