Thursday, April 27, 2023 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Tareq Ramadan, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Wayne State University and Arab America Foundation’s 40 under 40 List Award Recipient
The Middle East has been largely painted to Western audiences as an ethnically, linguistically, geographically and religiously monolithic place. However, the reality is that the region is come to an array of people from a multitude of cultures, religious milieus and linguistic traditions, representing a rich tapestry of diverse communities, customs, spiritual practices and more. Outside of academia, the region is often presented as a static and immutable place, characterized by instability, war and a people preoccupied with violence. However, the Middle East is a space and a concept that cannot be reduced to an essentialist caricature. Professor Ramadan will highlight this diversity by first deconstructing assumptions that have come to dominate popular perceptions of the region, challenge the myth of ethno-religious homogeneity and address the geo-political terminology used to describe the Middle East and provide a breakdown of the region’s inhabitants and seemingly disparate populations.
Location:
Birmingham Next