Islam Issa (academic)

Islam Issa is an Egyptian-British^[1] scholar, author and broadcaster, a Professor in the School of English at Birmingham City University whose research has specialized in Early Modern English literature and the reception of Renaissance.

Issa graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in English Literature from the University of Birmingham, where he was then a Visiting Lecturer and Fellow until he became a lecturer at the Birmingham City University in 2015. He teaches all periods and genres of English literature, and his research has focused on Early Modern English literature and the present-day reception of the Renaissance. His other academic interests include literary translation and cultural history.^[2]

Issa has a media presence, with appearances on over fifty radio and television stations around the world. He has also given public lectures overseas, including work for the British Foreign Office. In 2017, the BBC identified his as one of its New Generation Thinkers, one of ten academics whose research was to be made into radio and television programmes.^[2] In 2012, according to The Observer, Issa disclosed that two Egyptian soccer stars believed that the Port Said Stadium riot had been planned.^[3]

In 2016, Issa published research into the First World War which stated that “at least 885,000 Muslims were recruited by the Allies”,^[4] with the Discovery Channel noting that “Issa more than doubled the previously estimated figure of 400,000 soldiers after trawling through thousands of personal letters, historic archives, regimental diaries and census reports”.^[5] The findings came as he was curating the “first exhibition devoted to the Islamic contribution to World War I”.^[6] The exhibition was visited and praised by King Charles III.^[7]

In 2019, Issa presented the BBC Four television documentary Cleopatra and Me: In Search of a Lost Queen.^[8]

Issa was named by the BBC as "one of the UK's most significant new thinkers".^[9] CBC Egypt described Issa as "an Egyptian icon".^[10]

Issa's book Alexandria: The City that Changed the World was awarded the Runciman Award.^[11] Alexandria was also shortlisted for the London Hellenic Prize.^[12]

Issa won the Research Project of the Year at the Times Higher Education awards.^[13]

Issa's book Milton in the Arab-Muslim World won the Outstanding First Book award of the Milton Society of America. He has also been named as Birmingham City University's Researcher of the Year.^[2]

He was a finalist for Excellence in Community Relations at The Muslim News Awards and Services to Education at British Muslim Awards.^[14][15] His exhibition "Stories of Sacrifice", won the Muslim News Awards Excellence in Community Relations prize.^[2]

• Milton in the Arab-Muslim World (2016).^[16]

• Alexandria: The City that Changed the World (2023). ^[17]