John L. Esposito Lecture

On Wednesday, December 6, 2006, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology hosted The District of Columbia Sociological Society’s December monthly meeting at which John L. Esposito gave a presentation entitled, "A Global Jihad? Terrorism in the 21st Century".

John L. Esposito is the University Professor & Founding Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. After 10 years in the Capuchin Franciscan religious order, Prof. Esposito went on to write more than 35 books about Islam and Middle Eastern culture. The evening began with a reception with light refreshments. The packed room
was also treated to a rendition of several holiday season songs by Georgetown’s oldest a-cappella group, The Chimes.

Prof. Esposito has produced more than 35 books, including:  Islam, Gender, and Social Change; Muslims on the Americanization Path; and Daughters of Abraham (with Y. Haddad); Women in Muslim Family Law; Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam; The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality? Political Islam: Revolution, Radicalism or Reform?  Islam and Secularism in the Middle East (with A. Tamimi); Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives (with J. Donohue); and Islam in Asia: Religion, Politics, and Society.

Prof. Esposito’s books and articles have been translated into Arabic, Persian, Urdu, bahasa Indonesia, Turkish, Japanese, Chinese and European languages.

A consultant to the Department of State as well as corporations, universities, and the media worldwide, Prof. Esposito has served as President of the Middle East Studies Association of North America and the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies.  He is currently a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders and President of the Executive Scientific Committee for La Maison de la Mediterranee’s 2005-2010 project, “The Mediterranean, Europe and Islam: Actors in Dialogue.”