Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) will confront the complex, manifold dimensions of prejudice against Muslims and Islam with its international conference ‘Global Histories and Practices of Islamophobia’.
The two-day conference, scheduled to start on Saturday, 30 September, features prominent voices against Islamophobia, among them scholars, activists, policymakers, and journalists, who will engage in insightful conversations, pose critical questions, and explore the intellectual roots of Islamophobia. Panelists will also offer responses to counter enduring anti-Islamic sentiment across major public platforms around the world.
World For All Foundation Founder HE Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool will articulate the challenges of this modern-day pandemic in a keynote address. Joining him at a high-level roundtable discussion later in the conference is HE Dr Khalid Fahad Al Khater, Director of Policy Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the State of Qatar.
According to HE Dr Al Khater, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently undertaking a series of initiatives on anti-racism, including Islamophobia. He said they welcome the conference as a timely intervention to draw the world’s attention to this critical issue.
Intellectually stimulating discussions
Participating speakers will include political theorist Anne Norton, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of the 2013 book On the Muslim Question. Dr Salman Sayyid, Professor in Rhetoric and Decolonial Thought at the University of Leeds is also joining the discussion. Dr Sayyid is one of the pioneers of Critical Muslim Studies and the founding editor of ReOrient: The Journal of Critical Muslim Studies.
In other panel sessions on Day 1, speakers will trace the colonial roots of Islamophobia and its connection to racism and discrimination. On Day 2, speakers will delve into Islamophobic attitudes and stigmas that emerged during Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ and the globalisation of Islamophobia as a residual impact of the ‘war on terror’.
According to GU-Q Associate Professor of History and conference co-organiser Dr Karine Walther, the conference promises to be an intellectually stimulating and transformative event, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex issue of Islamophobia and contributing positively toward meaningful resolutions.
The presence of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and so many influential scholars and practitioners underscores the important role of dialogue in addressing global challenges collectively.
A special focus of the conference will be addressing Islamophobia on university campuses.
Alongside the main discussions, there will be interactive workshops where students and community members can engage with activists and artists who are at the forefront of combating Islamophobia. A student-led forum, in coordination with GU-Q Student Affairs and relevant student clubs, will address what universities have been doing and should continue doing, to combat Islamophobia and its impact on their campuses.
Co-organised by GU-Q faculty members Dr Firat Oruc, Dr Karine Walther and Dr Abdullah Al-Arian, the conference will continue through Sunday, 1 October at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha.
For more information, visit hiwaraat.qatar.georgetown.edu.
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