Draft:Iqbal Akhtar

{{AFC submission|d|bio|u=Isakhtar|ns=118|decliner=Taabii|declinets=20250225132137|ts=20250224193324}}

{{AFC submission|d|bio|u=Isakhtar|ns=118|decliner=KylieTastic|declinets=20250224113424|reason2=v|small=yes|ts=20250224110549}}

{{Short description|Professor in Miami}}

{{Draft topics|biography}}

{{AfC topic|blp}}

Iqbal S. Akhtar holds the position of Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Politics & International Relations at Florida International University (FIU{{Cite web |last=Communications |first=Florida International University-Digital |title=Iqbal Akhtar |url=https://religion.fiu.edu/people/faculty/akhtar.iqbal.html |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=religion.fiu.edu |language=en-US}}), Miami, FL. He has previously served as Program Director at the Templeton{{Cite web |title=About Templeton Religion Trust |url=https://templetonreligiontrust.org/about-us/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=templetonreligiontrust.org |language=en-US}}Religion Trust in Nassau, Bahamas, overseeing a portfolio focused on world religions, peacebuilding, character development, and interfaith dialogue within the Covenantal Pluralism Initiative.{{Cite web |title=Covenantal Pluralism: Moving Beyond Religious Tolerance |url=https://templetonreligiontrust.org/areas-of-focus/covenantal-pluralism/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=templetonreligiontrust.org |language=en-US}}

Before his current role, Akhtar held various academic and governmental positions. His academic experience includes a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Edinburgh, and he has held associate professor positions at Florida International University, where he founded the Western Indian Ocean Studies (WIOS{{Cite web |title=Welcome {{!}} Western Indian Ocean Studies |url=https://khoja.fiu.edu/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241218163047/http://khoja.fiu.edu/ |archive-date=2024-12-18 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=khoja.fiu.edu}}) center and led the Jain Studies (JS{{Cite web |title=Faculty {{!}} Jain Studies Program |url=https://jainstudies.fiu.edu/faculty/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241218002808/http://jainstudies.fiu.edu/faculty/ |archive-date=2024-12-18 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=jainstudies.fiu.edu}}) program. He has also been a US Fulbright{{Cite web |last=Rausch-Montoto |first=Birgitta |title=Meet FIU's Fulbright Program Champion: Iqbal Akhtar |url=https://news.fiu.edu/2021/meet-fius-fulbright-program-champion-dr.-iqbal-akhtar |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=FIU News |language=en}}Scholar in Pakistan and a US Fulbright Fellow in Tanzania, conducting extensive research on religious identity, interfaith relations, and cultural diplomacy.

Akhtar's work with governmental bodies includes serving as a Cultural Affairs Intelligence Officer{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.minaret.org/breach.pdf}}at U.S. Northern Command Headquarters, and working as a Government Relations Consultant for APCO Worldwide, advising governments on policy and legislative affairs. He has also held leadership positions in various non-profit organizations, including founding Miami Interfaith and serving as Executive Director of the East-West Foundation. This diverse experience reflects his commitment to bridging divides across cultures and faiths, fostering understanding, and promoting positive change. His publications include a book on the Khoja{{Citation |last=Akhtar |first=Iqbal |title=The Khōjā of Tanzania: Discontinuities of a Postcolonial Religious Identity |date=2015-12-04 |work=The Khōjā of Tanzania |url=https://brill.com/display/title/25593?language=en |access-date=2025-02-24 |publisher=Brill |language=en |isbn=978-90-04-29288-8}}community in Tanzania and another on Covenantal Pluralism. Akhtar's work spans multiple disciplines, drawing from political science, religious studies, and anthropology to address complex societal challenges.