The 8th Hancock Lecture—'Hybrid civilisations or Clash of civilisations?: Re-visiting the Muslim Other'—was given by early career Arab and Islamic Studies scholar, Dr Raihan Ismail. The lecture was held on 16 November 2018 at the State Library of NSW, Sydney as part of the 49th Symposium of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

The Sir Keith Hancock Lecture honours its namesake, Emeritus Professor Sir (William) Keith Hancock KBE FAHA. Sir Hancock (1898—1988) was a Foundation Fellow and the first President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Dr Ismail was also the joint recipient of the Australian Academy of the Humanities’ 2018 Max Crawford Medal, Australia’s most prestigious award for early-career researchers in the humanities. The Medal was established through a bequest made to the Academy by the late Professor R.M Crawford OBE FAHA, and is awarded to an Australia-based, early-career scholar whose research and publications make an exceptional contribution to the understanding of the humanities by the general public.

All CAIS staff offer their warmest congratulations to Dr Ismail on her achievements.