OLLI101425 - Difficult Themes in Muslim Activism and Interfaith Relations

Course Description

Difficult Themes in Muslim Activism and Interfaith Relations

Instructors: Ahmet Tekelioglu & Iftekhar Hussain
Dates: Thursdays, Sept 29-Nov 17
Time: 1:00 PM-2:30 PM
Location: Online via Zoom  
Location: In-person at Center City (TUCC)

This course seeks to address conversations within the Muslim community about several difficult issues that inform debates on Muslim activism and interfaith relations. These questions include but are not limited to the following: Does Islam condone same-sex marriages? Can Muslims engage in activism without compromising their belief-system? Should we sweep under the rug the racism within the Muslim community? Followed by our previous teaching at OLLI, we are offering this class to shed insight into some FAQs we face - both from within and outside of Muslim faith.
Maximum online registrants: 500
Maximum in-person registrants: 60

Instructor Bios:
Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, PhD, political science, Boston University. His research focuses on the American religious landscape and Muslim minorities in America. He has conducted fieldwork with Muslim congregations in Boston, San Francisco, and LA. He has been cooperating with the Historical Society of PA to feature Philadelphia’s Muslim landscape and has taught classes on race, ethnicity, international relations, and Islamic studies at Boston University and George Mason University.

Iftekhar Hussain, born in Bangladesh, earned a BA and an MA at Texas A&M and worked toward a PhD at Penn State. Currently he oversees a Montessori education system in the Main Line area. He is engaged in local interfaith educational initiatives with a focus on basics of Islam and Islamic jurisprudence. In addition to serving as the Board Chair of CAIR-PA, Iftekhar has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the ACLUPA and advised AFSC’s Middle East Peace Building Unit.

Notes

• follow current public health guidelines, which may include masking and social distancing, and are subject to change, while on campus.
• provide proof of vaccination, or request a medical or religious exemption, prior to your first day of class. Students who have an approved exemption will be required to test for COVID-19 at least once a week. 
• obtain a noncredit OwlCard. An OwlCard is a Temple-specific photo ID that will give you access to campus buildings and classrooms.