Event Title

Islamist Recruitment: A Freedom Right or a Limitation on Public Safety

Presenter Information

Betsey Fawcett, Luther College

Location

State

Start Date

28-2-2015 8:10 AM

End Date

28-2-2015 8:50 AM

Description

In many European countries, and even in the United States, government leaders are beginning to have to draw the line between allowing people with religious convictions the freedom to speak their mind and protecting public safety. My interest in this relationship resides in the conflict between many European governments and growing Islamist communities. Islamist recruiters often spread extremely violent interpretations of their religious text, the Koran. Their interpretations, which are often not accepted by mainstream Muslims, propagate the idea of building Islamic states and building up their militaries to encourage the conversion of people to Islam. My research in this area of religious conflict began last January when I took a January term class titled Islam in the West: Clash of Civilizations, where we discussed the clash between the western and the Islamic worlds. This January I will travel to Northern Europe and Britain for a class titled Islam in Europe the: Western Responses to the Muslim "Other". I hope to be able to share what I learn from this experience and from my ongoing research on this topic at the IWU Human Rights workshop in February.

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Feb 28th, 8:10 AM Feb 28th, 8:50 AM

Islamist Recruitment: A Freedom Right or a Limitation on Public Safety

State

In many European countries, and even in the United States, government leaders are beginning to have to draw the line between allowing people with religious convictions the freedom to speak their mind and protecting public safety. My interest in this relationship resides in the conflict between many European governments and growing Islamist communities. Islamist recruiters often spread extremely violent interpretations of their religious text, the Koran. Their interpretations, which are often not accepted by mainstream Muslims, propagate the idea of building Islamic states and building up their militaries to encourage the conversion of people to Islam. My research in this area of religious conflict began last January when I took a January term class titled Islam in the West: Clash of Civilizations, where we discussed the clash between the western and the Islamic worlds. This January I will travel to Northern Europe and Britain for a class titled Islam in Europe the: Western Responses to the Muslim "Other". I hope to be able to share what I learn from this experience and from my ongoing research on this topic at the IWU Human Rights workshop in February.