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WGBH Forum Network; Voices from the Moderate Muslim Majority

03/15/2007

Voices from the Moderate Muslim Majority Ali S. Asani, professor, Indo-Muslim culture, Harvard Mona Eltahawy, reporter Jeff Jacoby, columnist, Boston Globe The world's 1.4 billion Muslims encompass an enormous range of beliefs and practices, a world of cultures from Arab to post-Soviet to Indian to American, and a wide spectrum of movements from liberal progressive to Islamist. However, today's headlines all too often highlight the familiar stories of violence and extremism within the Islamic world. Is religion truly the driving force behind these actions? Where is the space for voices of the moderate majority to be heard? In our country, where many became acquainted with Islam only in the context of September 11th, how can we better understand this major world religion? Ali Asani and Mona Eltahawy explore the tensions within modern Islam and how we can better understand them. Ali S. Asani is professor of the Practice of Indo-Muslim Languages and Culture at Harvard University, and member of the board of directors of the American Islamic Congress; Mona Eltahawy is an award-winning New York-based journalist and commentator, and international lecturer on Arab and Muslim issues. Moderated by Jeff Jacoby, Boston Globe columnist. Presented in collaboration with the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series.

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Series

WGBH Forum Network

Program

Voices from the Moderate Muslim Majority

Program Number

3372

Series Description

The WGBH Forum Network is an audio and video streaming Website dedicated to curating and serving live and on-demand lectures given by some of the world's foremost scholars, authors, artists, scientists, policy makers and community leaders. These events are hosted by world-class cultural and educational organizations in the Greater Boston area. Through this online service thousands of interested people across the world partake of these lectures from the comfort of their home or office at any time they choose. We are proud of the role we serve in our community, of protecting and projecting the public voice; and of informing and inspiring that public voice to foster deeper understanding of and civic engagement in important issues.

Program Description

VOICES FROM THE MODERATE MUSLIM MAJORITY ALI S. ASANI, PROFESSOR, INDO-MUSLIM CULTURE, HARVARD MONA ELTAHAWY, REPORTER JEFF JACOBY, COLUMNIST, BOSTON GLOBE

THE WORLD'S 1.4 BILLION MUSLIMS ENCOMPASS AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF BELIEFS AND PRACTICES, A WORLD OF CULTURES FROM ARAB TO POST-SOVIET TO INDIAN TO AMERICAN, AND A WIDE SPECTRUM OF MOVEMENTS FROM LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE TO ISLAMIST. HOWEVER, TODAY'S HEADLINES ALL TOO OFTEN HIGHLIGHT THE FAMILIAR STORIES OF VIOLENCE AND EXTREMISM WITHIN THE ISLAMIC WORLD. IS RELIGION TRULY THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THESE ACTIONS? WHERE IS THE SPACE FOR VOICES OF THE MODERATE MAJORITY TO BE HEARD? IN OUR COUNTRY, WHERE MANY BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH ISLAM ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, HOW CAN WE BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS MAJOR WORLD RELIGION? ALI ASANI AND MONA ELTAHAWY EXPLORE THE TENSIONS WITHIN MODERN ISLAM AND HOW WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THEM.

ALI S. ASANI IS PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE OF INDO-MUSLIM LANGUAGES AND CULTURE AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY, AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS; MONA ELTAHAWY IS AN AWARD-WINNING NEW YORK-BASED JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR, AND INTERNATIONAL LECTURER ON ARAB AND MUSLIM ISSUES. MODERATED BY JEFF JACOBY, BOSTON GLOBE COLUMNIST.

PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OLD SOUTH MEETING HOUSE AS PART OF THE PARTNERS IN PUBLIC DIALOGUE SERIES.

Asset Type

Broadcast program

Media Type

Video

Genres

Event Coverage

Citation

Chicago: “WGBH Forum Network; Voices from the Moderate Muslim Majority,” 03/15/2007, GBH Archives, accessed July 26, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_3A8D14D1D6EF4AB18BACE2F99F51BB5E.

MLA: “WGBH Forum Network; Voices from the Moderate Muslim Majority.” 03/15/2007. GBH Archives. Web. July 26, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_3A8D14D1D6EF4AB18BACE2F99F51BB5E>.

APA: WGBH Forum Network; Voices from the Moderate Muslim Majority. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_3A8D14D1D6EF4AB18BACE2F99F51BB5E