Events
Al-America with Jonathan Curiel
Nov 5 2009 7:00PM - 9:00PM
Lecture Details
Thursday, November 5
7-9 pm
CIIS Main Building, Namaste Hall
$15 per lecture
$60 for the Focus on Islam series
About the Lecture
Four out of 10 Americans say they dislike Muslims, according to a Gallup poll. In the aftermath of 9/11, conservative bloggers said that “Muslims don’t belong in America.” In this talk and slide show, which is based on his award-winning book, journalist Jonathan Curiel shows that Muslims and their culture have been a part of America since the time of Christopher Columbus.
In fact, Columbus cited Arab and Muslim culture for helping him succeed, and many American cities reflect this cross-cultural influence. New Orleans and San Antonio, for example, are embedded with Islamic architecture. Curiel looks at America’s entire range of Arab and Muslim influence – from Elvis Presley’s connection to Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran, to P.T. Barnum’s love of Iranian-influenced buildings, to Arab music and its impact on The Doors and Bob Dylan.
About the Presenter
Jonathan Curiel is the author of "Al' America: Travels Through America's Arab and Islamic Roots," which won an American Book Award. A longtime reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, he has taught as a Fulbright Scholar at Punjab University in Lahore, Pakistan, and has researched Islamic culture as a Reuters Foundation Fellow at England's Oxford University. Curiel has reported from such countries as Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco and Mali. In 2005, Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism honored Curiel's work on Arabs and Muslims.
Online Registration is closed - tickets sold at the door
