SAIS Bologna Center Hosts Seminar Series on European Politics and Islam in Spring 2010
The SAIS Bologna Center is hosting a series of seminars between February and May 2010 on the presence of Islam in Europe and its effect on European politics. The seminars cover both thematic and country-specific topics, ranging from the impact of Islam on domestic institutions and voting behavior to the consequences for national and European foreign policies toward the Mashreq and the Maghreb. Next to analyzing domestic and foreign policy pressures on the “European” side of the relationship, attention is also drawn to the “other” side. Some seminars explore the influence of increased Euro-Islamic interaction on Muslim identities, including those that feed radicalization. Contributors come from across Europe and from countries with an Islamic background, and represent a mix of well-established and rising scholars specializing in the subject. Click here for more information.

SAIS CTR Managing Director Kurt Volker Spoke on Religion and Crisis Management on January 21
Kurt Volker, SAIS CTR managing director and former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, spoke on “Religion and Crisis Management” at the Appeal of Conscience Foundation’s 29th Annual Seminar on Religious Life. The event took place on Thursday, January 21 at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute. Click here for a copy of his prepared remarks.

2009 Issue of SAISPHERE Is Now Available
SAIS recently published the 2009 issue of its annual magazine, SAISPHERE. In this issue we asked several members of the faculty, scholar, student and alumni community to explore the theme, "Religion's Grasp on World Affairs" to coincide with our "Year of Religion." Click here for the online version or request a printed copy.

Tuesday, April 22
“Faith Works: The Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in Development”
Noon to 2 p.m. – Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building  
Bikkhu Bodhi, chairperson of the Buddhist Global Relief's Boards of Directors; John Grayzel, Baha’i Chair of World Peace at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland; Tadeusz Mich, church relations director at World Vision; Paul Miller, Africa team leader and policy adviser at Catholic Relief Services; Ian Schwab, associate director of Advocacy at the American Jewish World Service; Christina Tobias-Nahi, director of public affairs at Islamic Relief U.S.; and Grace Goodell (moderator), professor in the SAIS International Development Program, discussed this topic.

SAIS Students Visit White House for “Year of Religion” on April 19
As part of the “SAIS Year of Religion,” Joshua DuBois, director of President Obama’s Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, met with SAIS students at the White House on Monday, April 19 to talk about the role religion plays in international affairs.

Monday, April 19
"Defining Religion: Hinduism, Hindutva and the Indian Supreme Court”
12:30 to 2 p.m. – Room 812, Rome Building
Ronokjoy Sen, assistant editor for the Times of India and author of Articles of Faith: Religion, Secularism and the Indian Supreme Court, discussed this topic. The event was sponsored by the South Asia Studies Program at SAIS.

Monday, April 19
“Religion, Identity and Global Governance”
12:30 to 2 p.m. – Room 806, Rome Building
Patrick James, professor of international relations at the University of Southern California, discussed this topic. The event was hosted by the Global Theory and History Program at SAIS. 

Friday, April 2
"Religion and Politics in Africa"
9 to 4 p.m. - Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building
Various Africa experts discussed this topic during a daylong conference. Peter Lewis, director of the SAIS African Studies Program, delivered opening remarks. For a full conference agenda, click here. For more information, contact 202.663.5676 or itolber1@jhu.edu.

Thursday, April 1
"A Moveable Feast: Passover and Political Culture"
5:30 to 7 p.m. - Rome Building Auditorium
Marc Caplan, Tandetnik Professor of Yiddish Literature, Language and Culture at Johns Hopkins University, and Eliot Cohen, director of the SAIS Strategic Studies Program, discussed this topic. A reception featuring traditional Passover cuisine followed the lecture.

Thursday, March 25
"Islamic Ethics and Liberation in Europe" 
1:30 to 3 p.m. - Kenney Auditorium, The Nitze Building (main building)
Tariq Ramadan, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Oxford’s Oriental Institute and president of the European Muslim Network in Brussels, discussed this topic. This event was broadcast live via videoconference from the SAIS Bologna Center.

Monday, March 1
"Is U.S. Promotion of Religious Freedom Imperialistic?"
12:00 to 2:00 - Rome Building Auditorium
Ishani Chowdhury, former director of public policy at the Hindu American Foundation; Thomas Farr, senior fellow at the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University; Liu Peng, professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and senior fellow at Emory University; and Joshua White (moderator), a Ph.D. candidate at SAIS and research fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, discussed this topic. This event was co-hosted by the South Asia Studies Program, China Studies Program, American Foreign Policy Program, SAIS Student Government Association, SAIS Amnesty Club, SAIS Careers in Development Club and and the Institute for Global Engagement.

Wednesday, December 2
"Islam, Islamism and Post Islamism in Africa"
12:30 to 2 p.m. - Room 736, Bernstein-Offit Building
The African Studies Program hosted a discussion with Benjamin Soares, researcher at the University of Leiden's Center for African Studies.

Wednesday, November 18
“The Next Front: Southeast Asia and the Road to Global Peace With Islam”
6:30 to 8 p.m. – Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building
The SAIS Southeast Asia Studies Program hosted a book launch with Senator Christopher S. “Kit” Bond (R - Mo.), and Lewis M. Simons, foreign correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winner. They discussed their new book, The Next Front: Southeast Asia and the Road to Global Peace With Islam.

Tuesday, November 17
"Reimagining Iran"
7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – Bologna Center, Fondazione del Monte-Unicredit Group Auditorium
Azar Nafisi, executive director of Cultural Conversations and best-selling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran and Things I Have Been Silent About, discussed Iran, culture and human rights. Susanna Mancini, adjunct professor of International Law, moderated the session.

Wednesday, October 18
"Where Angels Fear to Tread: Religion and Informal Enterprise in Nigeria"
12:30 to 2 p.m. - Room 736, Bernstein-Offit Building
The SAIS African Studies Program hosted a conversation with Kathleen Meagher of the London School of Economics' Development Studies Institute on this topic.

Tuesday, October 27
"Women and the Politics of Change in the Middle East"
6 to 7:30 p.m. - Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building
SAIS Cultural Conversations hosted a discussion with Lina Abou Habib, executive director of Collective for Research and Training on Development-Action; Mahnaz Afkhami, president and CEO of Women's Learning Partnership and former minister for women's affairs in Iran; Wajeeha Al-Baharna, founding member and vice president of Bahrain Women Association; Asma Khader, secretary general of the Jordanian National Commission for Women; and Rabea Naciri, founding member of the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women. Azar Nafisi, executive director of SAIS Cultural Conversations, delivered opening remarks.

Monday, October 19
“Rwanda, Reconciliation and the Mustard Seed Project”
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building
The Office of the Dean and the African Studies Program hosted a discussion with John Rucyahana, bishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and head of the Mustard Seed Project. Jessica Einhorn, dean of SAIS, and Peter Lewis, director of the African Studies Program, delivered introductory remarks.

Thursday, October 8
"My Prison, My Home: One Woman's Story of Captivity in Iran"
6 to 8 p.m. - Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building
SAIS Cultural Conversations hosted a discussion with Haleh Esfandiari, author of My Prison, My Home: One Woman's Story of Captivity in Iran, and director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, during a book launch.� Azar Nafisi, author and director of the SAIS Cultural Conversations Program, and Mahnaz Afkhami, author and director of the Foundation for Iranian Studies and Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) also spoke at this event.

Wednesday, October 7
“The Challenge of Moderation in Islam: Egypt’s Religious Institution Versus Extremism”
1 to 2:30 p.m. - Rome Building Auditorium
The Middle East Studies Program and U.S. Institute of Peace hosted a discussion with Ali Gomaa, grand mufti of Egypt.

Tuesday, September 24
"Burma VJ: Reporting From a Closed Country" Film Screening
5 to 7:30 p.m. - Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building
The Office of the Dean the Southeast Asia Studies Program and the International Reporting Project at SAIS hosted a film screening of the award-winning documentary "Burma VJ: Reporting From a Closed Country."�

Friday, September 18
"Creation and Cosmology in Ancient Egypt"
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. - Rome Building Auditorium
The African Studies Program and American Research Center in Egypt, Washington, D.C., Chapter (ARCE-DC) hosted a discussion with Regine Schulz, director of ARCE-DC and director of international curatorial relations and curator of ancient art at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.�

Thursday, September 17
"The Meaning of Ramadan"
6:30 p.m. - Rome Building Auditorium
The SAIS South Asia Forum, the South Asia Studies Program and the Middle East Studies Program hosted a discussion with Jonah Blank, a professorial lecturer in the SAIS South Asia Studies Program and senior policy adviser for South Asia with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Tuesday, September 15
"Buddhism in Asia: Peace and Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula"
6 to 7:30 p.m. - Kenney Auditorium, The Nitze Building
The U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS, the Foreign Policy Institute and Sejong Society of Washington hosted a discussion with Pomnyun Sunim, chairman of Good Friends and the Peace Foundation.