WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL: DR. VALI R. NASR The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future January 31, 2007

WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL:
Wednesday, January 31 DR. VALI R. NASR
The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future
Vali Nasr is Senior Adjunct Fellow on the Middle East, Council on Foreign Relations, and Professor of Middle East and South Asia Politics and Associate Chair of Research at the Department of National Security, Naval Postgraduate School. In THE SHIA REVIVAL, Nasr offers an analysis of the ancient struggle between Shias and Sunnis for the soul of Islam. The book sheds light on historic moments of Shia/Sunni competition over power, as well as times of collaboration between the two sects against outside oppressors. Nasr believes that the sectarian divisions between Shia and Sunni, and the historic marginalization of Shias throughout the Islamic world, will come to play a large part in determining our collective future. Nasr believes Westerners have too often conceived of the Middle East through a Sunni perspective, and that in these changing times the Western world must now learn to understand the history, motivations, and philosophy of the Shia as well. Check-in, 5:30 PM; program 6 – 7 PM. Members free; non-members $15, students $5. Register at www.itsyourworld.org or 415.293.4600. World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, San Francisco

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