Annual Islam Symposium 2008: Freedom of Speech and Association

In March 2002, three Muslim converts attended an Evangelical Christian talk on the inner secrets of 'Holy Jihad'. Shocked by what they heard, they convinced the Islamic Council of Victoria to lodge a complaint against Catch the Fire Ministries Inc, under a controversial new hate speech law. A case expected to be over in three days turned into an unholy war of words lasting five long years - freedom of speech versus freedom from religious vilification was under the spotlight. Award winning author Hanifa Deen followed this case from beginning to end, witnessing the religious impulse at its best - and worst .

Date: Wednesday 10th September 2008
Time: 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Venue: Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, UWA
Cost: $20 Concession $40 Waged (Includes refreshments for Iftar)
(Registration by the 8th of September is essential for catering purposes)

Hanifa Deen

Hanifa Deen is a Melbourne based author. She has served as Hearing Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and was also a director on the Board of SBS. Hanifa has written four books including the best-selling Broken Bangles; and award winning Caravanserai; A Journey Among Australian Muslims, which received the NSW Premiers’ Literary Award. The Crescent and the Pen was published in 2006 in the USA.The Jihad Seminar is her fourth book.

A/ P Samina Yasmeen

A/ P Samina Yasmeen is Director of Centre for Muslim States and Societies and lectures in Political Science and International Relations in the School of Social and Cultural Studies, UWA. Dr Yasmeen focuses on political and strategic developments in South Asia, the role of Islam in world politics, and citizenship among immigrant women. She has conducted research on issues of identities and citizenship among Muslims in Australia, and issues of inclusion and exclusion among Muslim minorities in the west. As a specialist on politico-strategic developments in South Asia, Dr Yasmeen has focused on the role of Islamisation in Pakistan’s domestic and foreign policy, and its implications for regional and global stability.

Dr. Julie Macfarlane

Dr. Julie Macfarlane is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Windsor . Dr Macfarlane devotes the other half of her time to her consulting practice which offers conflict resolution service, training, facilitation and systems design for a range of public and private sector clients. Dr. Macfarlane has extensive experience as a facilitator working with government, management groups, unions, universities, professional associations, and not-for-profit organisations in developing consensus in planning, policy-making and conflict resolution strategies. In 2005 she was the first Canadian recipient of the International Academy of Mediators’ Award of Excellence, presented annually to an individual mediation practitioner.

Julie Macfarlane is presently funded for four years to examine the practice of Islamic divorce in North America. She is funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is a Fellow of the Institute for Social Policy Understanding.

The Jihad Seminar will be launched by renowned author, playwright, journalist and broadcaster, Mr Sandy McCutcheon. Hanifa Deen will be available for book signing following the launch. Books will be available for purchase on the evening.

Sandy McCutcheon

Sandy McCutcheon is a writer and former ABC broadcaster. His latest novels are Black Widow, and The Cobbler's Apprentice. He spends much of the year living in the Medina of Fez in Morocco where he has just completed a new novel - The Hill of Mice.

Please register your participation and feel free to circulate the event through your own networks. Please see the attached flier for further details.

For information and registration please contact Zarlasht Sarwari on 6488 4554 or via email at cmss@uwa.edu.au.