The Importance of Cultural and Religious Literacy: The Case of Islam

The Harvard Club of Dallas warmly invites the Yale community to attend this event featuring Ali Asani, Harvard Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures.

Our world is marked by difference. The inability to engage with and understand these differences has led to polarizations, tensions and conflict in many societies. In recent decades, these conflicts have been particularly acute and tragic when they are framed in religious terms.  Illiteracy about the nature of religion has led to political climates that are crippling intellectually and threatening to the pluralistic fabric of society. Looking at Islam as a case study, this talk will discuss the importance of promoting literacy about religion as one of the essential pre-requisites for the well-being of societies and the project of democracy globally.