SACPA Session - It Takes Two to Tango: On The Muslim Question in Canada

Fri, May 1, 2015 10:01 am to Thu, May 7, 2015 1:30 pm

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The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) presents a session with University of Lethbridge professor Dr. Abde Kazemipur.

It Takes Two to Tango: On The Muslim Question in Canada

Date:          Thursday, May 7, 2015
Time:        12 - 1:30 p.m. (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A)
Location:   Country Kitchen Catering (lower level of the Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S
Cost:           $11 (includes lunch) or $2 (includes coffee/tea at the presentation)

The recent occurrence of some violent events in the Muslim world, as well as the involvement of Muslim individuals in some terrorist attacks in Western Europe, North America, and Australia, has raised serious questions about the ability and/or willingness of Muslims to live in peace and harmony with people of other religious backgrounds.

In a rush to answer those questions, various people, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have offered responses that are overly simplistic, empirically inaccurate, and visibly biased.

Some, for instance, have argued that the source of the problem should be found in the teachings of Islam, while others have argued that those committing the violent/terrorist acts are not true Muslims.

In this presentation, some of these responses, and their shortcomings, will be discussed; and, an alternative perspective will be offered.

Speaker: Dr. Abdie Kazemipur

Abdie Kazemipur is professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge. Previously, he served as Stephen Jarislowsky Research Chair in Culture Change at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has also been the founding director of two Statistics Canada’s research data centres at University of Lethbridge and Memorial University.

Kazemipur studies the socio-economic experiences of immigrants in Canada and the socio-cultural developments in the Middle East. Last year, the University of British Columbia Press published his latest book, The Muslim Question in Canada: A Story of Segmented Integration. Currently, he is working on a new book on religious developments in Iran.

Moderator: TBA

For more information on the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, visit the SACPA website.