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Religious Studies News and Announcements


Spring 2008

Dr. James Gelvin, Department of History, UCLA

“The Israel-Palestine Conflict in the Post-GW Bush Era”

Date: Sunday, April 27

Time: 5:00-7:00pm

Place: Bldg. 3, Room 213 (Business Rotunda)

Dr. Gelvin's research focuses on nationalism and the social and cultural history of the modern Middle East during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He is the author of The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War ( Cambridge , 2007). He will speak about the role of nationalism in the conflict and the future prospects for peace in the post-Bush era.

 

 

Ahmad Atif Amad, Religious Studies Department, UCSB

“Clash of Cultures? Islam and commensurability with the Modern West”

Date: Thursday, May 1

Time: 7:30-9:00pm

Place: 33-286

Dr. Ahmad is assistant professor of religion at UCSB, having also taught at Cairo University , Harvard, and Macalaster. His newest book is called: "Islam, Modernity, Violence, and Everyday Life" (Palgrave, 2008). This talk will examine the question of the 'comparison of cultures' or what it means to state that certain value systems are incommensurable with others.

 

Zayn Kassam, Religious Studies Department, Pomona College

Talk 1: “My Journey After 9/11”

Date: Monday, May 12 th

Time: 7:00-9:00pm

Place: 08-123

&

Talk 2: “The Veil: Piety or Punishment?”

Date: Tuesday May 13 th

Time: 11:00AM-12:00PM

Place: 08-123

Dr. Kassam is the chair of the Religious Studies Department at Pomona College and a frequent commentator on Islam in the modern world. She has written a number of essays and articles on Islam. She also edited the for thcoming volume, Activism, Gender, and Islam. She was awarded the American Academy of Religion's 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award.

 

Nahshon Perez, Hebrew University of Jerusalem , UCLA

“Religion and Democracy in Israel after 60 Years”

Date: Sunday, June 1

Time and Place: TBD

Dr. Perez is a visiting scholar of Political Science at UCLA's Israeli Studies program. He will reflect upon the religious diversity within Israel and its implications for democracy, especially in the contemporary period.

 

Winter 2008

"Covering God: The Intersection of Religion, Media, and Politics"
Shona Crabtree, Freelance Religion Reporter
Tuesday, January 29th, 11:10AM, Building 8-123

Shona Crabtree is a freelance journalist whose writings on religion in America have appeared in USA Today , The Washington Post , and The Dallas Morning News , among others. She started covering religion for CBS Radio's national show, The Osgood File . She will talk about how journalism has become the most powerful force shaping understandings of religion in America today, the unique demands of religion journalism, and the intersection of religion and politics.

"Muslim Communities in the US"
Ahmad Atif Ahmad, University of California, Santa Barbara
Wednesday, February 6th, 7PM

After 5 waves of emigration, millions of Muslims live in the US (42%
Blackamericans, 27 % Indopakistanis, 15% Middle Easterners, and the
rest representing the vast Muslim world). After 9/11, the already
complex American Muslim identity got even more complex. This lectures
presents an analysis of Muslim communities in the US--their history,
present, and the possibilities of their future.

May 2007

We have had a number of interesting speakers this quarter. On May 24th, we had Lee Holzinger from the Church of Scientology. He provided the RELS program with numerous books and videos about Scientology if people are interested. Also, on May 31, we had Lisa Molin, a local doctor and Baha'i follower who gave an insightful presentation on the teachings of Baha'i. Click here to look at her powerpoint presentation.

September 2006

Welcome back to Religious Studies at Cal Poly. This fall, the new Religious Studies Club (Cal Poly Theisms - a RELS Club" will be forming. If you are interest in joining, see Dr. Lloyd-Moffett.

June 2006
Thank you to everyone who supported our sucessful "Abraham--Father of Many" lecture series. Over three spring evenings, hundreds of people were treated to interesting dialogues about the place of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. There has never been a lecture series at Cal Poly sponsored by such a diverse group of religious and academic programs. Religious Studies Program would like to thank its co-sponsors: the Department of Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts, Hillel, Muslim Student Association, University Christian Community, Campus Crusade for Christ, Poly Christian Fellowship – InterVarsity, Newman Catholic Center, Lutheran Campus Ministry, Front Porch Presbyterian Ministries, Temple Ner Shalom, Congregation Beth David.