The University of Tennessee-Knoxville will host a speaker this evening who will talk about Islamophobia and social justice. Amer F. Ahmed’s presentation is called “Addressing Islamophobia: Dispelling Myths to Break Down Barriers” and is part of the university’s celebration of International Education Week. The school website says that Ahmed “skillfully interweaves social justice, diversity and inclusion, and intercultural frameworks to cultivate rich and meaningful dialogue with his audiences.” “This program will benefit participants interested in learning more about Islam and Islamophobia, providing needed context to bridge divides,” the website says. Born in Ohio to Indian Muslim immigrants, Ahmed is “an intercultural diversity consultant, college administrator, facilitator, poet and Hip Hop activist,” according to his website. He has held positions at Loras College in Iowa, Concordia College in Minnesota, the University of Michigan and Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He is currently director of intercultural teaching and faculty development at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The growing emphasis on Islamophobia in recent years has been criticized by conservatives as an effort to downplay and distort the differences between Islam and other belief systems and for becoming a factor behind people being afraid to report potential terrorist activity despite “see something, say something” campaigns. Two years…
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