Islam and democracy have developed along separate pathways . Many think them irreconcilable. The Arab Revolts of 2011 seemed to prove them wrong. So did recent political processes in countries like Turkey and Indonesia. But the counter forces and criticisms are mounting, promising new changes. This lecture will reflect on these practices and critiques, discuss trends that can be discerned, and touch upon prospects for the future.
Dr. Maurits Berger, LLM, is professor of Islam in the Contemporary West at Leiden University, senior research associate with the Clingendael Institute for International Relations in The Hague, and a member of the Advisory Council for International Affairs at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has worked as a lawyer in Amsterdam, and for seven years as a researcher and journalist in Cairo and Damascus. He is engaged in European public debates and policies regarding the Muslim world and Muslims in the West. His research studies include Islamic law, political Islam and freedom of religion.

Please note that the lecture starts at 7pm and reservations (by email info@nvic.leidenuniv.nl) are obligatory.

The lecture will be preceded by a workshop on "Arabic and its dialects in times of revolution", for more info, http://www.institutes.leiden.edu/nvic/news/cleveringa-workshop-2014.html