Monday, April 12, 2010

Dr. Reza Aslan on The Daily Show!

One of the first events to kick off the Get Lit! Festival features Dr. Reza Aslan, who will address the intersection between religion and political conflict, expressing his concern for how those two elements have contributed toward a rise in militancy and terrorism.

Dr. Aslan has written two books on religion and politics, but despite the intense issues he is concerned with, he believes political engagement is the best way to moderate radical ideologies. Best of all,
even though he's been published in countless scholarly journals, he also knows how to reach an even larger group of intelligent viewers: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Reza Aslan
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorHealth Care Reform

Not only does he know his stuff, but he's funny and engaging as well. Based on that interview, it looks like the
Get Lit! attendees are in for a treat.

Dr. Aslan will speak on Thursday, April 15 at 7 p.m. in the Doubletree Hotel's Grand Ballroom. Tickets are $20 general admission and free with a student ID. For more info, look here.

In his most recent book, How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization and the End of the War on Terror, Dr. Aslan examines the origins of the Israel-Palestinian conflict; zealotry in various religious forms; the history of Islamic jihadist distortions of Islam; the repressive governments that produce such radicals; and analyzes America's current war on terrorism.

Dr. Aslan holds degrees in religion from multiple universities including Harvard, and he also holds an MFA in Fiction from the University of Iowa. Born in Iran, he currently lives in Los Angeles where he works as an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at UC Riverside and a contributing editor of The Daily Beast.

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