Author to address Islamophobia March 3 at SJU
February 15, 2016
Todd Green, author of The Fear of Islam: An Introduction to Islamophobia in the West (Fortress Press, 2015), will be interviewed about his book at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 3, in the Centenary Room (room 264) of the Quadrangle Building at Saint John's University.
Laura Taylor, assistant professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, will conduct the interview.
The program, sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning, is free and open to the public.
"American and European societies, particularly since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, have struggled with the recurrent problem of Islamophobia, which continues to be expressed in waves of controversial legislative proposals, public anger over the construction of Muslim religious edifices and outbreaks of violence," Green said.
The Fear of Islam explores the historical roots and contemporary forms of anxiety regarding Islam within the Western world. Taylor will interview Green about the main themes in his book, including the rise of political Islamophobia, the depiction of Muslims in the media and the importance of fighting anti-Muslim prejudice.
Green earned his doctorate in religious studies at Vanderbilt University and is now associate professor of religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he teaches courses on European and American religious history as well as interfaith dialogue.
During the 2016-2017 academic year, Green will serve as a Franklin Fellow with the U. S. State Department, advising the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs on Islam, Islamophobia and interfaith dialogue in Europe.
A regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Green has been interviewed by a variety of media outlets, including CNN, NPR, Al Jazeera, France 24 and Reuters. His views on Islamophobia have been cited by organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations, the Center for American Progress and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Taylor also earned her doctorate in religious studies at Vanderbilt. While at Vanderbilt she taught the course "Christianity and Religious Pluralism." At CSB/SJU, along with regularly teaching the introductory course "Theological Exploration," she teaches upper division courses in feminist and liberation theologies.