Contact: Laurie Mellas, 277-5915, lmellas@unm.edu Oct. 17, 2005 ISLAMIC SCHOLAR TO EXAMINE CONFLICT BETWEEN ISLAM, U.S. Islamic scholar Anouar Majid will examine the ongoing conflict between Islam and the United States in a public lecture—“Saints at Odds: Islam and America in the World”—at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at UNM SUB Ballroom C. Majid's lecture is the second in the Nexus: Religion in the Public University series sponsored by UNM's Religious Studies Program through a grant from the Louisville Institute. The lecture is free and open to the public. According to U.S. religious studies authority Cornel West, Majid is one of few “towering Islamic intellectuals,” examining the place of religion and Islam in postcolonial theory and the culture of globalization. Born in Tangier, Morocco, Majid is professor and chair of English at the University of New England in Maine. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including “Unveiling Traditions: Postcolonial Islam in a Polycentric World (2000),” recommended as a book for understanding the context of 9/11. In this lecture, Professor Majid will challenge listeners to acknowledge essential differences between American culture and the Islamic tradition, while, at the same time, exploring how the two worlds can illuminate each other's paths and narrow the scope of their misunderstanding. In addition to four public lectures during the 2005-06 academic year, the Nexus project also involves a dialogue between a group of clergy from the community and UNM faculty. Richard Wood, director of the UNM Religious Studies Program, and Cindy Geppert, associate director, are coordinators. For more information, call 277-4009.
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