Villanova University held an international conference, on April 1-4, 2009, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Center for Arab & Islamic Studies.
Conference Program
The conference program included the following special events:
April 1, Wednesday
6-9 pm - Caramel, a Cannes awarded film, presented by director, Nadine Labaki followed by a reception.
April 2, Thursday
4-7:00 pm. - Meet the Authors: Susan Abulhawa, Eric Sellin, Habib Tengour read their work. Moderated by Pierre Joris, followed by book signing and reception.
7:30- 9 pm. - My Name is Rachel Corrie, a stage performance directed by Sean O'Donnell, actress: Courtney Day Nassar
April 3, Friday
5:30 - 7 pm. - Keynote address by;
Juan R. I. Cole Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan followed by
7 - 10 pm - Banquet dinner with tribute to Hafeez Malik.
April 2 and 3
12:15-2pm. - Luncheons with distinguished guests: Saad Eddin Ibrahim and James Zogby.
April 4, Saturday
4-6 pm. - Women take the Camera in the Middle East Mayada al-Hiraki, proiducer and director actress, Nadine Labaki.
April 2-4
Continuous film screenings
Topics of the Conference
- Topics of the Conference included:
- (Re)Focusing of Arab and Islamic Studies
- Political conflicts / Human rights
- Peace-building
- Education in the Arab and Islamic World
- Environmental issues / Globalization
- Oil / resources / economy
- Post/Coloniality / Post/Modernity
- Questions of identity / Cultural pluralism
- Women / gender and Islam
- Authorship / literature
- Representation / media
- Arab arts and cinema
- Historical Islam / contemporary Islam
- Legal systems: religious and secular
- Religious diversity in the Arab World
