Topics both timely and thought-provoking will be covered in back-to-back Assembly Series lectures in Graham Chapel on the Danforth Campus of Washington University in St. Louis.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, eminent religious scholar and best-selling author Reza Aslan, PhD, will address “Faith, Extremism and Democracy: Examining the Parallels of Religious Fundamentalism at Home and Abroad.” At 7 p.m. the next evening, Feb. 18, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates will
explore one of the most enduring and controversial issues of race in “The
Case for Reparations.”
‘Faith, Extremism and Democracy’
Aslan’s lecture is sponsored by the Washington University Foreign Policy Engagement student organization. A book signing and reception follows in the Danforth University Center Commons.
Aslan teaches creative writing at the University of California, Riverside. His books include “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth,” which has been translated into 28 languages and whose film rights have been acquired by Lionsgate; “No god but God,” an international best-seller and listed on Blackwell’s list of 100 Most Important Books; and “How to Win a Cosmic War.”
Aslan earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Santa Clara University; a master’s degree in theological studies from Harvard University; a master of fine arts degree from the University of Iowa; and a PhD in sociology of religions from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
More from Aslan can be heard at npr.org.
‘The Case for Reparations’
Coates will explore one of the most enduring and controversial issues of race in the lecture sponsored by the Washington University Political Review student organization.
Coates is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he writes about racism, culture, politics and social issues, as well as maintains a popular blog praised for its engaging comments section, which he personally curates.
In 2008, he published his coming-of-age story, “The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood.” His writings on racism, such as the September 2012 Atlantic cover piece “Fear of a Black President” and the June 2014 feature, “The Case for Reparations,” have placed him among the most significant contemporary voices writing on race relations.
For more on Coates, see his appearance on Bill Moyers.
Both events are free and open to the public, and they are part of the Student Union Speakers Series.
For information on this and future programs, visit the Assembly Series website or call 314-935-4620.