Seven Eminent Scholars from U.S. and Abroad Explore "Understanding Islam Today"; UNCA to Host Distance Learning Series Beginning February 5

UNC Asheville will host a series of six distance-learning lectures on "Debating Civilizations: Understanding Islam Today" in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and the Duke Center for International Studies. All lectures will be held in the Humanities Lecture Hall via live internet broadcast. The talks are free and open to the public.

The lecture series begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, with a talk on "Debating Islam in the West: 12th-21st Centuries" by Bruce Lawrence and Ebrahim Moosa of the Duke University’s Department of Religion. A discussion will follow their talk.

Other lectures in the series include:

** "The Jihad for Gender Justice -- Progressive Muslim Reflections" by Farid Esack of the College of William and Mary at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20.

** "Islamic Traditionalism and Reform on the Indian Sub-Continent" by Jamal Malik of Erfurt University in Germany at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 5.

** "Islam in America" by Sulayman Nyang of Howard University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 26.

** "Muslim Identity in Europe: The Bosnian Case" by Michael Sells of Haverford College at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3.

** "Confronting Stereotypes in Islam" by Farish Noor of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at

7 p.m. Tuesday, April 9.

Programs are co-sponsored by UNCA’s Humanities Program, Belk Professorship in the Humanities and the Honors Program.

For more information, call UNCA Political Science Department Chairman Ken Betsalel at 828/232-5041.

Media Contacts:

• Dr. Ken Betsalel, UNCA Political Science Department Chairman, 828/232-5041
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526