John Esposito — Professor of International Affairs and Religion at Georgetown University and Director of their Bridge Initiative, that connects the academic study of Islamophobia with the public square — discusses his insights on Pluralism, Globalization, Religious Fundamentalism, Islam, the Media, Journalism, and Media Bubbles. Published for the Boniuk Institute of Rice University.
Hasan Minhaj — American comedian and actor and host of the Netflix series, Patriot Act — discusses his insights on current challenges in America, his personal advice to all artists, and the future of entertainment and comedy. A first-generation American, Minhaj joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and he was also the featured speaker at the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Dr. Karen Armstrong — an internationally acclaimed scholar and bestselling author of numerous books — discusses her insights on compassion, the Golden Rule, nationalism, materialism, Cosmopolitan Ethic, religious literacy, the future of religion, perceptions of religious people, religious institutions, personal search, and her vision for the future. Published for The.Ismaili
Seyyed Hossein Nasr — a prominent Islamic philosopher and one of the most important scholars of Islamic, Religious and Comparative Studies — discusses his insights on Islam and the modern world, his criticism of, and solutions to, Western approaches to religious education, the importance of traditionalism and the role of thinking in Islam. Published for the Boniuk Institute of Rice University.
Aasif Mandvi — British-American actor and comedian and a previous contributing correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart — discusses his insights on his journey as an artist, current challenges in America, his personal advice to all artists, the future of entertainment platforms, globalization, the perceptions of Muslims, and his vision for the future.
Daisy Khan — Executive Director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative for Spirituality and Equality and previously listed among TIME magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’ — discusses her insights on misunderstandings of Sharia, Polarization, Extremism, Women’s Rights, and her vision for the future.
Jim Wallis — President of Sojourners, a Christian justice organization and a former spiritual advisor to both President Barack Obama and George W. Bush — discusses his insights on White Evangelicals, 2016 election, 2020 election, Johnson Amendment, Study: “Theology Matters”, Traditional Christian Beliefs, Relativism, his work with former Pres. Bush and Obama, and his vision for the future.
Ali Velshi — television journalist at MSNBC and a senior economic and business correspondent for NBC News — discusses his insights on Media Bubbles and Echo-Chamber, minority voices in the media, critical thinking, Muslim perception, leadership, Journalism, Civic Engagement, and vision for the future.
Dr. Shainool Jiwa — Head of Constituency Studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies and a specialist on the Fatimid Empire — discusses her insights on the history of the Fatimid Empire, what we can learn from the Fatimids: the role of the intellect and discussions/debates, emotionally driven and narrative-based approaches as part of developing one’s faith, and her personal journey and vision for the Future. Published for The.Ismaili.
Dr. Reza Aslan — best-selling author, public intellectual, religious studies scholar, producer, and television host — discusses his insights on Religious Literacy, popular culture and Muslims, Secularism, Pluralism, Relativism, echo chambers, intellectual diversity, future of Religion, and his book, God: A Human History. Published for OnFaith.Co (formerly Washington Post).
