The Thirty-fourth AMSS Annual Conference

Abstract

This conference, held from Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2005 and co-sponsored byTemple University (Philadelphia), represented a homecoming for theAssociation of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS), for its source of inspiration,Dr. Isma`il al-Faruqi, taught religion there from 1968-1986. Elevenpanels addressed the theme, “Muslims and Islam in the Chaotic ModernWorld: Relations of Muslims among Themselves and with Others,” by coveringa wide range of topics, from Muslim minority groups, mutual understanding,and women, to modernity, family law, legal theory, education, andjust war. Due to space constraints, only a few of them will be covered here.After the welcoming and introductory remarks by Program ChairKhalid Blankinship (Temple University) and Rafik Beekun (University ofNevada), Abdul Mutualo (American University in Cairo) began the proceedingsby discussing the history of Islam as an “imported” religion in his nativeMozambique. Heol Choul Kim (Temple University) spoke on KoreanMuslims’ problems due to cultural traditions (e.g., ancestor worship) and thelack of an indigenous Muslim community. Robert Riggs (University ofPennsylvania) discussed how the White Fathers gave Algeria’s KabyleBerers a sense of national self-consciousness and how many of them, livingin small Christian communities, left Algeria after independence.The banquet’s keynote speaker, Abdullah Schleifer (American Universityin Cairo), reflected on his many years as a news reporter and producerin the Middle East. His talk received such an enthusiastic response that wehave included it in our “Forum” section. The winners of the AMSS BestGraduate Paper Awards were also announced: Zareena Grewal (first place),Maleeha Aslam (second place), and Kamran Hashimi (third place).Panel 4A featured, among others, Helena J. Kaler (George WashingtonUniversity), who revealed, probably to the surprise of many, commonalitiesbetween Ayman al-Zawahiri’s and Farid Esack’s responses to modernity.She said that while al-Zawahiri bases his worldview on grievances, Esack ...