Thursday, 05-05-2005

Islam, Asia, Modernity (Part 4 of Beyond Islam: Understanding the Muslim World)

Pakistan is one of the most populous Muslim countries in the world, and also one of the most influential in terms of debates about the role if Islam in the modern world. While images of Pakistani women in burqas are common in western media, and are perceived to represent the state of Pakistani women as oppressed individuals, the reality is more complex. Pakistani women have risen to positions of prominence economically, educationally, politically and socially. Pakistan became the first majority Muslim country in the world to have a female head of state when Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1988. Join Professor Huma Haq in exploring the complexities of the lives of women in Pakistan.

We will then move to Kane Hall for the opening lecture of the UW’s conference and symposium on Islam, Asia, and Modernity.* Ziauddin Sardar's lecture is “Islam and Modernity: The Problem with Paradise.” Ziauddin Sardar is the author of more than forty scholarly books on Islam, culture and technology, post-colonial studies, and science policy as well as several books on Islam and modern society. He is a renowned cultural and science critic and a pioneering writer on 'Islamic science' and the future of Islam. His books for scholarly audiences include the classic studies The Future of Muslim Civilization (1979), Islamic Futures: The Shape of Ideas to Come (1985), and Postmodernism and the Other (1998). His most influential essays have recently been published as a collection in Islam, Postmodernism and Other Futures: A Ziauddin Sardar Reader (2003). He is currently Visiting Professor of Post-colonial Studies, Department of Arts Policy and Management, at the City University, London (1998-present) and the editor of Futures, a journal of future studies, and Third Text, the prestigious journal of arts and visual culture.

On May 5-8, 2005, the Jackson School of International Studies’ Asia Centers will be holding an open conference and symposium on Islam, Asia, Modernity. For more information see: http://depts.washington.edu/asiaismo/.

Download the Flyer (PDF).

About Beyond Islam: Understanding the Muslim World

The United States’ interests in the Muslim world are too great to allow the chasm developing between the peoples of the Muslim and non-Muslim world to grow. While it certainly could be argued that Americans knew too little about the Muslim world before September 11, 2001, the events of that day had a profound effect, for the worse, on Americans’ understanding of the Muslim world today. Americans went from having little knowledge to too much knowledge of fringe extremists. Mainstream Americans continue to lack a basic understanding about the everyday lives of mainstream Muslims living in countries like China, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzebekistan.

Thanks to a grant from the United States Institute on Peace, the World Affairs Council is partnering with the UW Jackson School of International Studies Outreach Centers, and FIUTS to provide an in-depth look at Muslim culture throughout Asia. The programs will be held at the UW.

Other Beyond Islam programs include:
Cultural Islam in Central Asia (January 20)
Muslims in China Today (February 10)
Islam and Politics in Malaysia (March 24)


UW CAMPUS MAP
http://www.washington.edu/home/maps

The Mechanical Engineering Building is located near the Student Union Building (HUB) on the east side of Stevens Way, next to Loew Hall. Sessions will be held in MEB Room 246.