(April 7, 2014)

Islamic Scholar Visiting Centenary

SHREVEPORT, LA — Dr. Rizwan Zamir of Davidson College's Religion Department will present a lecture "Idolatry, Multiculturalism, and Pluralism: a Qur'anic Reading" on Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in the Whited Room. The event is free and open to the public.

Zamir is coming to campus as the final "Religion Matters" speaker of the academic year. The Attaway Fellow will be hosted by Dr. Spencer Dew, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies; Dr. Fulwider, Assistant Professor of History; and the Christian Leadership Center.

Zamir's work involves Shi'ite religious thought and a range of studies in Islamic mysticism and ethics. He is also interested in interfaith dialogue and comparative approaches to scriptures.

In addition to his public lecture, he will be teaching classes for Dew on "Islamic death rituals" and for Fulwider on the "relationship between Islam and the West: yesterday and today". Zamir will also be meeting with students at an open lunch discussion on Thursday, April 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the Centenary Room.

Zamir joined the Religion Department at Davidson College in fall 2010, where he teaches introductory and advanced courses in the area of Islamic studies, specializing in Islamic thought and spirituality. Since March 2012, he has co-chaired the Study of Islam section of the American Academy of Religion, Southeast Region (SECSOR). He received a BA from the University of Punjab and also James Madison University and earned his PhD from the University of Virginia.

Passport Points will be available for Centenary students at the Religion Matters discussion Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. For more information contact Dew at email.