The project “Research Laboratory for Analysis and Modeling of Social Processes: Political Islam/Islamism: Theory and Practice in Comparative and Historical Perspective” focuses on consideration of the historical background and experiences of creating “the Islamic state” and realization of “the Shari‘a rule”. On the basis of the collected and analyzed materials from different Muslim communities of the world over, the analysis and subsequent modeling of the prospects of implementation of these Islamic/Islamist concepts in modern conditions (particularly in the Russian Federation) will be conducted.

These two objectives will be worked on simultaneously with the direct participation of the principle investigator of the project (individually and collectively).

To accomplish the objectives above it is needed to:

• develop optimal practices of research based on the latest theoretical developments that are in use in modern humanities and social science disciplines. For this purpose, project participants should have an access to the latest publications in the field of science (journals, encyclopedias, monographs etc.) to be well informed with the latest methodologies and achievements of their colleagues in Russia and abroad;

• create a permanently operating seminar, which will represent a forum for discussion of current researches of the project participants and will provide optimal scientific approach to the subject for each particular investigation;

• bring together all the private research results (the format will be defined later);

• organize scientific conferences and public seminars for approbation of the research results, carried out by the project participants, and promotion of its achievements;

• achieve a high level of scientific researches within the frames of the Project targeting in their subsequent publication in prestigious scientific journals in the Russian Federation and abroad. During the first 18 months it is necessary to prepare at least 4 publications in prestigious periodicals. It is also possible to issue a common monograph on the project (Islamism and the Shari‘a state);

• implement a strong informational support through the creation of an electronic forum page on the Internet.
Related objectives:

• training of qualified and productive scientific successors, able to compete on an equal footing with foreign investigators within the international market research output and teaching, that is, the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge;

• developing and testing of innovative educational programs (corresponding to the main subject of the project) targeting to lead the pedagogical system of St. Petersburg University out on a high international level;

• upgrading of the international rating of the Faculty of Asian and African Studies (St. Petersburg State University) and St. Petersburg State University itself via publications in prestigious scientific journals, organization of international conferences and participation in conferences, organized by other scientific associations and institutions.