Sumanto Al Qurtuby is cultural anthropologist, social scientist, author, columnist, teacher, researcher, and public intellectual. Born in Central Java, Indonesia, Sumanto obtained his PhD from Boston University, specializing in anthropology of Islam and Muslim societies, besides degrees (masters and bachelor) in Islamic studies, sociology of religion, and conflict/peace studies from American and Indonesian universities (such as Eastern Mennonite University, Satya Wacana Christian University, and Walisongo State Islamic University). Sumanto is also the founder and director of Nusantara Institute on Culture and Religion (see https://www.nusantarainstitute.com/) as well as co-founder of the Nusantara Kita Foundation (see www.nusantarakitafoundation.org/). Sumanto is also an academic committee member of the Scientific Studies Association and an editorial board of Innovation in Social Sciences (National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan).
Since 2014, Sumanto has been a faculty member in the Department of Global Studies & an affiliate of the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Finance and Digital Economy, KFUPM Business School, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia. Previously, he taught at the University of Notre Dame and Boston University. During his academic career, he has been awarded several research and teaching fellowships from several research and academic institutions, including the University of Notre Dame, National University of Singapore, Mennonite Central Committee, Kyoto University, National Science Foundation (USA), Earhart Foundation (USA), University of Oxford, among others.
Moreover, Sumanto is an active commentator on social media, especially Facebook whose personal account has attracted more than 240,000 followers (see https://www.facebook.com/Bungmanto). Sumanto has published more than 35 books and hundreds of journal articles and popular essays in both Indonesian and English languages on issues around Islam, public religion, Muslim politics and cultures, interfaith cooperation, as well as ethno-religious conflict and peacebuilding. His books include Religious Violence and Conciliation in Indonesia (Routledge, 2016); Saudi Arabia and Indonesian Networks: Migration, Education and Islam (I.B. Tauris/Bloomsbury, 2019); Terrorism and Counter-terrorism in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022); and Religious Resurgence in Southeast Asia (Eliva Press, 2023). If you need to reach him, contact at info@sumantoalqurtuby.com
