John Bowen, a sociocultural anthropologist and the Dunbar-Van Cleve Professor in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, received the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award from Tufts University’s Institute for Global Leadership as part of a symposium on “Europe in Turmoil,” held Feb.17-21.
The award is presented annually to an individual or organization dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing problem. Past recipients include Nobel laureates Amartya Sen, Desmond Tutu and Muhammad Yunus.
Bowen received the award for his contributions to the study of Islam in Europe. As part of his recognition, he presented an invited lecture on “Islam in Europe” at the symposium Feb. 20. Bowen’s research focuses on comparative social studies of Islam across the world. His work examines how Muslims (judges and scholars, public figures, ordinary people) work across plural sources of norms and values, including diverse interpretations of the Islamic tradition, law codes and decisions, and local social norms.