11 Jun JOURNEYS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: THE ARAB-ISLAMIC EXPERIENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE CONTEMPORARY ARAB LEGAL SYSTEM
This programme offers an intellectual journey inspired by the historical Arab caravans. Across four major historical periods, you will explore the foundations of the Arab-Islamic world and assess their relevance to modern legal and financial systems.
The seminar is divided into two parts.
Part One examines key aspects of Arab culture and Islamic civilisation before the emergence of Islam and introduces the main sources of Islamic law and their historical development. It also analyses the interaction between Islamic law and foreign legal systems during the Ottoman period and the era of European domination.
Part Two focuses on two central areas of law in the contemporary Arab world: family law and financial law. You will study the evolution and modern reform of Islamic family law, including the analysis of a recent case in Greece. The seminar also addresses Islamic commercial ethics, with particular emphasis on Islamic finance, through a case study on Islamic banking in Abu Dhabi.
The aim of the programme is not only to understand historical developments, but also to examine how they continue to shape legal and financial systems at regional and global levels.
CELIA; GUILLERMO; ALFREDO DE ANCA; CANALEJO; CABELLOS
Dr. Celia de Anca is a professor of Diversity and Islamic Finance. She previously worked at the Euro-Arab Management School (EAMS) and in the International Division of Banco Santander. She holds a Ph.D., with a comparative thesis on Islamic and ethical/ecological investment funds and the London market.
She was an advisor to Merrill Lynch’s Diversity & Inclusion Council until 2009 and has served on several committees, including the IE Executive Committee (2005–2015), the Ethics Committee of InverCaixa’s Ethics Fund, and the IFN Advisory Board.
Alfredo Cabellos is an Asset Finance Partner in the Watson Farley & Williams’s, Madrid office. He has 25 years of professional experience, 21 of which were devoted to asset financing in the transport field. He specialises in ship, aviation and rail finance, as also evidenced in International lawyers’ directories and has, in that capacity, come across various types of Sharia compliant financing structures. Alfredo speaks Spanish, English, French and basic Arabic.
Guillermo Canalejo Lasarte is a Spanish qualified lawyer and partner in the Iberian independent law firm Uría Menéndez, based in its Madrid office. He has a wide range of experience in cross-border investments and international tax planning, including the tax aspects of asset and project financing. Guillermo also advises private clients and family offices. He heads Uria’s Middle East Desk.
Skills
By the end of the course, students will:
• Develop a deeper understanding of contemporary Islamic law and the main challenges it faces today.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the historical development of Arab-Islamic civilisation and its cultural foundations.
• Apply key principles and legal tools of Islamic law to practical cases in family law.
• Analyse and resolve commercial and financial cases using Islamic legal reasoning and instruments.
Schedule
Which dates?
22-oct
29-oct
05-nov
12-nov
19-nov
26-nov
What day?
THURSDAYS
What time?
16,30-18,00