Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

October 11, 2002

Politics, religion on institute's agenda

by Debra Gibson
This year's Institute on World Affairs will focus on two topics our mothers have long admonished us to avoid discussing -- politics and religion.

Speakers throughout the Institute, themed "Religion and Conflict," will address the ramifications when those two entities collide. The institute will kick off its lectures next week, with presentations running through next April.

Events scheduled for this semester include talks by:

Gail Omvedt, sociologist and author ("The Foundations of Hindu-Muslim Unity: Raising Questions")
William T. Cavanaugh, assistant professor of theology, University of St. Thomas, Houston ("The Myth of Religious Violence")
Bruce B. Lawrence, chair, department of religion, Duke University, Durham, N.C. ("Defining Fundamentalism")
Riffat Hassan, professor, University of Louisville, Kentucky, and founder/president, International Network for the Rights of Female Victims of Violence in Pakistan ("Women in Islam: A Feminist Muslim Analysis")
Christopher Rossi, visiting lecturer, University of Iowa and former White House director of national security for democracy, human rights and humanitarian affairs; Robert Baum, ISU associate professor of religious studies; and James McCormick, chair, ISU department of political science ("Politics and Religion")
Duncan McPherson, editor, Living Stones magazine and retired lecturer, St. Mary's University College in England ("Jerusalem and Interfaith Understanding: Challenges and Opportunities in the Current Climate")

Institute On World Affairs 2002,
"Religion and Conflict"
Memorial Union, 4-9934

Monday, October 14

8 p.m., Lecture, "The Foundations of Hindu-Muslim Unity: Raising Questions," Gail Omvedt, scholar-activist, India, Sun Room.

Monday, October 28

8 p.m., Lecture, "The Myth of Religious Violence," William Cavanaugh, University of St. Thomas, Houston, Great Hall.

Thursday, October 31

8 p.m., Lecture, "Defining Fundamentalism," Bruce Lawrence, Duke University, Durham, N.C., Sun Room.

Monday, November 4

8 p.m., Lecture, "Women in Islam: A Feminist Muslim Analysis," Riffat Hassan, University of Louisville, Kentucky, Sun Room.

Thursday, November 7

8 p.m., Panel, "Politics and Religion," Christopher Rossi, University of Iowa; Robert Baum, ISU religious studies; James McCormick, ISU political science, moderator, Sun Room.

Tuesday, December 3

8 p.m., Lecture, "Jerusalem and Interfaith Understanding: Challenges and Opportunities in the Current Climate," Duncan MacPherson, editor of Living Stones magazine, Great Hall.