By Leila Ahmed (NHC Fellow, 1982–83) Are Islamic societies inherently oppressive to women? Is the trend among Islamic women to appear once again in veils and other traditional clothing a symbol of regression or an effort to return to a “pure” Islam that was just and fair to both sexes? In this book Leila Ahmed … Continued
By Mohsen Kadivar (NHC Fellow, 2019–20) Human Rights and Reformist Islam critiques traditional Islamic approaches to the question of compatibility between human rights and Islam, and argues instead for their reconciliation from the perspective of a reformist Islam. The book focuses on six controversial case studies: religious discrimination; gender discrimination; slavery; freedom of religion; punishment of … Continued
By Michael G. Peletz (NHC Fellow, 1999–00) How do Islamic courts work? What sorts of cultural understandings inform judicial process and litigants’ strategies? How do women’s claims fare? Do these courts promote social tolerance? And how do states use them to consolidate power, build nations, and shape a modern citizenry? These are among the questions … Continued
Edited by Barbara Daly Metcalf (NHC Fellow, 1989–90) Focusing on the private and public use of space, this volume explores the religious life of the new Muslim communities in North America and Europe. Unlike most studies of immigrant groups, these essays concentrate on cultural practices and expressions of everyday life rather than on the political … Continued
When students think of Islam—if they do at all—they might summon an image of Denzel Washington playing a stern and passionate Malcolm X in Spike Lee’s 1992 film, or maybe they imagine Louis Farrakhan on the speaker’s platform at the Million Man March in 1995. Some might have encountered Middle Eastern Muslims on the nightly … Continued
During this webinar we will discuss how Islam and Muslims have been, and continue to be, portrayed in comics and other forms of sequential art since the 1800s through today. Focusing largely on US comics the discussion will also take into account global examples including, but not limited to, works from Canada, Spain, and various … Continued
This webinar will pose the question, “What does it mean to be a Muslim American?” by addressing local and global, national and transnational identities. Through an introduction of a brief history of Islam in America, teachers will gain foundational knowledge necessary for understanding the contemporary cultural life of Muslim Americans.
My humanities moment came with my conversion from Islam to Christianity. It opened a wide world for me and enabled me to see that my new faith was distinct, but shared some of its humanistic values which we find in religious traditions around the world. I began to see areas of difference and convergence with … Continued