Now more than ever, we need to understand the wide range of Islamic traditions, beliefs and practices that animate different Islamic religious communities around the world. Professor Lee Cassanelli has spent more than 40 years researching the history of Islamic societies in Somalia and East Africa. He has also interviewed Muslim émigrés and refugees in the U.S., Canada, Kenya, and the UK. Professor Cassanelli will share some of his experiences from the field as well as his thoughts on ‘Westerners’ stereotypes of Muslims, and Muslim stereotypes of ‘Westerners’.* 

Presenter: Dr. Lee Cassanelli, associate professor of History and past director of the Africa Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania

*This talk is the first of two by Prof. Cassanelli offered with support of University of Pennsylvania's Middle East National Resource Center and the College's NRC Trans-Regional East Africa-Middle East Project.