UCSB MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS EXAMINE ISLAM AND TERRORISM

Three upcoming UCSB-sponsored lectures will look at Islam, Islamic militance and the fight against terrorism.

Speaking on successive Thursdays at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 East Constance Ave. in Santa Barbara will be UC Santa Barbara Diplomat-in-Residence Barbara K. Bodine and professors Juan Campo, of the Department of Religious Studies, and R. Stephen Humphreys, of the Department of History.

The public is invited.

The first two lectures, put on by the UCSB Affiliates, feature Bodine and then Campo. Cost per lecture is $5 to UCSB Affiliates members and to Chancellor's Council members and $8 for non-members.

The third event, part of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center (IHC) Symposium series, features Humphreys and is free.

Bodine, a former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen and current UCSB Alumni Association president, will speak first, giving a talk titled "The Battle Against International Terrorism: A Practitioner's Perspective" on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

The talk is part of the UCSB Affiliates Town Forum series.

A career diplomat, Bodine will share insights gained during foreign service in Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen and Southeast Asia.

During her time as ambassador to Yemen, Bodine became involved in counterterrorism efforts in the aftermath of the attack on the U.S.S. Cole one year ago.

Campo will give his talk, "Islam and the Politics of Terror:

A Reassessment," at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25.

His talk is part of the UCSB Affiliates Spirituality and Culture series.

Americans have tended to link Islam with terrorism, based on our interpretation of events such as the destruction of Buddhist monuments in Afghanistan, attacks on American military facilities, armed resistance of Palestinians and Lebanese to Israeli occupation and now the attack on the World Trade Center.

Campo will offer a fresh look at these issues in light of modern Islamic ethics and spirituality.

Humphreys' talk, "The Roots of Islamic Militance," will be earlier than the others, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1.

In it, he will chronicle the rise in violence among Muslim militants over the past 25 years and the growing willingness of such radicals to attack those they see as enemies of Islam.

Humphreys will explore the roots of that militancy in areas such as political and social frustration, ideological anxiety and the contradictions of U.S. foreign policy.

Preregistration is essential for all events as space is limited. Call the UCSB Office of Community Relations, (805) 893-4388, to register for the Bodine and Campo talks.

Call the IHC, (805) 893-3907, to register for the Humphreys talk.

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