Common Stereotypes about Islam: A Muslim Woman Scholar Responds

Nov 7, 2021
Common Stereotypes about Islam: A Muslim Woman Scholar Responds
Where: Zoom

Islam is a backward, violent, radical and misogynist religion.” As surveys demonstrate, this is the general perception of Islam in the public sphere. As a consequence, Islamophobia—the fear, hatred and discrimination of Muslim people—in the United States is growing. This presentation will provide some basic information about Islam and Muslims, challenge those myths by pointing to the facts and suggest ways to challenge Islamophobia today.Zeyneb Sayilgan, Ph.D. is the Muslim Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies in Baltimore, MD (www.icjs.org)

Prior to becoming ICJS ‘ Muslim Scholar, Dr. Sayilgan served as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Islamic Theology and Religious Pluralism at Virginia Theological Seminary, and was the Senior Fellow in Peace and Reconciliation at the Seminary’s Center for Anglican Communion Studies. Sayilgan also served as a residential chaplain on Georgetown’s campus addressing the various needs of students from all backgrounds, and taught classes at The Catholic University of America.Sayilgan was born and raised in Germany as the child of Kurdish immigrants from Turkey. Her personal experience with religious diversity and Muslim immigration informs her academic work. Her current research focuses on the intersection of religion and immigration, particularly in relation to Muslims living in the West. Passionate about Christian-Muslim engagement and Islamic theology and spirituality, Sayilgan has led numerous tours to Turkey to explore interreligious dynamics on the ground. She is currently working on her book Islam and Immigration: Theological Insights from the Qur’an (under contract with Baylor University Press). Sayilgan holds degrees from Georgetown University (Ph.D.), Hartford Seminary (M.A.), and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany (B.A./M.A.).