October 21 — Abdel-Aziz Shady on “Women in Muslim Society”
Abdel Aziz Shady is Director of the Terrorism Studies and Research Program at the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences at Cairo University. And he is very eager to help us understand the reality of the Middle East and Islam by explaining how women are doing.
When: Tuesday October 21, 5:45 refreshments; 6:30 dinner; 7:30 presentation
Where: Woodstock Club 1301 W 38th St, Indianapolis
This dinner is put on by the Indianapolis Committee on Foreign Relations. ICFR is a member-only organization and welcomes a guest(s) with advance notice for one meeting only. Future meetings require membership. It’s $35 if you pay in advance, $45 pay at the door. Contact Courtenay Weldon for details at courtenay@cweldon.net … membership in ICFR is a good deal.
A few years ago, the Catholic Diocese newsletter for Albany had a touching article about Dr. Abd El Aziz Shady, a political science professor whose Fulbright Fellowship at Siena College was transforming the College and Dr Shady. Dr. Shady wants to bring that experience to Indianapolis:
In August 2002 I arrived with my family to Albany airport as Fulbright scholar in residence to teach courses on Middle East Politics, Islam and Politics and Woman in Middle East Politics. While teaching at Siena College I did a lot out-reaching activities. These activities included regular public lectures at some local news papers and civil and civil society organization. American public mood was very tense and hostile to some extent towards Muslims and Islam. Six years have gone since September 11th 2001. Now American public mood is more rational and more objective towards both Muslims and Islam.
This program will provide me with a golden opportunity to measure the difference between these two moods. New developments in the field of political and social change have emerged in the Muslim societies. Americans must be aware of these developments. As a director of the Program for Research and Studies on Terrorism I shall do my best to provide my audience with balanced objective approach to understand the imagined link between Islam and Terrorism.
Why does Provocate think you should attend this event?
We need to grab a chance for a first hand report on changes going on in the Muslim world, especially on an issue such as the status of women. This has become a lightning rod issue in the West, for some a reflexive reason to say “How can Islam be anything but a religion of violence and despotism when it treats women so badly.” But Islam is very diverse, some Muslim men (like some believers in all faiths) often violate the principles of their religion, and to be honest most of us in the US have no idea what is really happening — no ideas of the changes taking place — in Muslim societies. That includes Muslim families in Indiana. Let’s change that.
If you think this sounds interesting, be sure to check out …
DePauw is organizing a very interesting discussion of journalists on how the US is viewed in the Middle East on September 19. Barbara Ibrahim teaches in Cairo (when her husband is not being hunted down by the Egyptian police for advocating democracy to vocally), she will be talking about changes in Muslim civil society on September 3, October 8, November 5, and December 10. Hear from a renowned historian about the controversies over Muslim women that are shaking France on October 22. And learn about Islam in Indiana with the Peace Institute on October 18.
Know before you go:
Wikipedia’s article on Women in Islam is a pretty good start … follow the links!
And for your listening pleasure …
