Middle East Expert Juan Cole to Speak at Pacific
Author and Middle East expert Juan Cole will discuss diplomatic relationships between the West and the Muslim world in a speech at 6 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Pacific Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.
Cole, a professor of history at University of Michigan, is considered to be one of the leading experts in the United States on Middle Eastern politics. He is a frequent guest on "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," and a regular contributor to Salon.com. He writes the blog "Informed Comment" at www.juancole.com. That blog was awarded the 2003 Koufax Award for Best Expert Blog for its news analysis about the Middle East.
"Not only is the Middle East misunderstood in the U.S., but also the religion of more than a fifth of the world - Islam -- is even more distorted in the press," said Margee Ensign, dean of the School of International Studies. "Cole aims to correct the record on recent U.S. encounters with the Muslim world and address the causes of what he calls 'Islam Anxiety.'"
Cole is appearing on campus at the invitation of the School of International Studies, one of only six undergraduate schools of International Studies in the United States. It is the only international studies school in the country that requires all of its students to study abroad while earning their undergraduate degree.
Cole is president and founder of The Global Americana Project. That project is translating into Arabic the works of the founding fathers of the United States, as well as other significant historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr.. He's also familiar with the different sects of Islam in the Middle East and South Asia. In addition, he has lived in the Muslim world for extended periods of time.
His latest book, "Engaging the Muslim World" was released in March. Previous books include "Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East," "Sacred Space and Holy War: The Politics, Culture and History of Shi'ite Islam," "Modernity and the Millennium," and "Colonialism and Revolution in the Middle East: Social and Cultural Origins of Egypt's Urabi Movement." He also translated Kahlil Gibran's "Spirit Brides."
The Pacific Theatre is located in the McCaffrey Center in the center of the Stockton campus. A map of the campus can be found online at http://web.pacific.edu/x4284.xml.