Roxanne D. Marcotte
Roxanne D. Marcotte is Professor of Contemporary Islam in the Department of Religious Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal and a leading scholar of Islamic intellectual history and contemporary Islamic thought. Her research spans both classical and modern Islamic traditions, exploring how philosophical, theological, legal, and interpretive discourses have evolved across centuries while continuing to shape contemporary Muslim societies.
Professor Marcotte earned her MA and PhD degrees from the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University, one of the world's premier centers for the academic study of Islam. She subsequently held appointments at the University of Queensland, where she served as Assistant and later Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic language. She continues her association with the institution as an Honorary Research Senior Fellow in Religious Studies.
A major focus of Professor Marcotte's scholarship concerns the philosophical traditions of Islam, particularly the works of Shihāb al-Dīn al-Suhrawardī and Mullā Ṣadrā. Her studies of Illuminationist philosophy and later Islamic metaphysics have contributed to contemporary understanding of important intellectual developments in the Islamic world. Through careful engagement with Arabic and Persian sources, she has illuminated the philosophical, spiritual, and cosmological dimensions of these traditions and their place within the broader history of Islamic thought.
Professor Marcotte’s publications span both historical and contemporary fields. Her most recent work includes the co-edited volume L'islam vécu au Québec: voie/x de musulmans et musulmanes (2025), which explores the experiences, perspectives, and contributions of Muslim communities in Québec and contributes to broader discussions of religion, identity, and pluralism in contemporary societies.
A member of the Société internationale d'histoire des sciences et de la philosophie arabes et islamiques (SIHSPAI), Professor Marcotte continues to advance scholarship on Islamic philosophy, modern Muslim thought, and contemporary religious life. Her work exemplifies the fruitful dialogue between the study of classical Islamic intellectual traditions and the realities of the modern Muslim world.
