Harvard Islamic Scholar Ali Asani Looks to Art to Bring People Together
THE HARVARD CRIMSON
By Jacob D. H. Feldman
MASSACHUSETTS -- Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department Chair Ali S. Asani ’77 will strive to promote religious literacy as the new director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program at Harvard—more than 30 years after he first began to study Islam as a Harvard undergraduate. As director of the program, which was founded from a gift in 2005, Asani said he hopes to promote innovation in teaching and attract renowned Muslim scholars, making Harvard the leader in all areas of Islamic studies. “Religion has become so politicized and co-opted in discourses of nationalism,” Asani said. “But ... if you look at religion through other lenses like art and literature, they actually bring people together and promote understanding.” [link]
By Jacob D. H. Feldman
MASSACHUSETTS -- Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department Chair Ali S. Asani ’77 will strive to promote religious literacy as the new director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program at Harvard—more than 30 years after he first began to study Islam as a Harvard undergraduate. As director of the program, which was founded from a gift in 2005, Asani said he hopes to promote innovation in teaching and attract renowned Muslim scholars, making Harvard the leader in all areas of Islamic studies. “Religion has become so politicized and co-opted in discourses of nationalism,” Asani said. “But ... if you look at religion through other lenses like art and literature, they actually bring people together and promote understanding.” [link]
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