List of Persian/Iranian Events for 2009-03-18

This is Ian Tholen, the Program Assistant at the Religion, Politics and
Globalization Program (RPGP) at UC Berkeley. On Tuesday, March 18th at 4PM, RPGP at UC Berkeley will be hosting a panel discussion on "Understanding Islamist Politics: Internal Debates and Electoral Opposition."

On behalf of RPGP, I would like to invite the 7rooz community to attend this panel discussion. Additionally, please feel free to extend this invitation to anyone else that might be interested in attending this panel-discussion on "Understanding Islamist Politics: Internal Debates and Electoral Opposition."

Please note that more topical and speaker information regarding this panel discussion is provided below.
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"Understanding Islamist Politics: Internal Debates and Electoral
Opposition" Wednesday, March 18th
4 p.m., Seaborg Room, Berkeley Faculty Club
(Map: http://berkeley.edu/map/maps/CD56.html)

Professor Nathan Brown, Political Science and International Affairs;
Director, Institute for Middle East Studies, GWU; Nonresident Senior
Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Professor Mohammed Hafez, Department of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School; author of "Why Muslims Rebel: Repression and Resistance in the Islamic World" (2003)

Sponsored by the Religion, Politics and Globalization Program
(rpgp.berkeley.edu), the Institute of International Studies, the Human
Rights Center, and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies
RSVPs appreciated but not required: 510-642-2474 or ojessie@berkeley.edu

Islamist political parties are flourishing across the Arab world, and
their increasingly mainstream influence appears unlikely to diminish in
the near future. To explore the myriad dimensions of Islamist politics,
Professor Nathan Brown of George Washington University and Professor Mohammed Hafez of the Naval Postgraduate School will hold a public discussion focused on these influential religio-political movements.

Professor Brown will examine Islamist movements in the Arab world and how the decision to participate in the electoral process affects them organizationally and ideologically, and Professor Hafez will discuss takfir (excommunication in Islam) and the internal debates over Muslim against Muslim violence.

Award-winning American composer Shawn Crouch's new work, The Garden of Paradise will be performed by the Grammy award winning Chanticleer group. The piece is based on the poems of poet Brian Turner, an Iraq war veteran, whose moving accounts of the war are set along side the poetry of the Persian poet Rumi, as selected from among 80,000 lines of poetry and translated by Professor Majid M. Naini.