Islamophobia Production and the Palestine-Israel Conflict

Full flyer here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeskillet/4464974077/sizes/o/

Type: Education – Lecture
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Graduate School of Public Health Auditorium G23
Street: 130 DeSoto Street
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA

Dr. Hatem Bazian, received his Ph.D. in Philosophy and Islamic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, Bazian is a senior lecturer in the Departments of Near Eastern and Ethnic Studies. Dr. Bazian between 2002-2007, also served as an adjunct professor of law at Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

He teaches courses on Islamic Law and Society, Islam in America: Communities and Institutions, De-Constructing Islamophobia and Othering of Islam, Religious Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies. In addition to Berkeley, Dr. Bazian is a visiting Professor in Religious Studies at Saint Mary’s College of California and adviser to the Religion, Politics and Globalization Center at UC Berkeley as well as Academic Affairs Chair at Zaytuna College of California.

In Spring 2009, Dr. Bazian founded at Berkeley the Center for the Study and Documentation of Islamophobia, a research unit dedicated to the systematic study of Othering Islam and Muslims.

Dr. Bazian is known for being an organic intellectual, a term used for academics directly connecting their research to the people; rather than looking down from the ivory tower. Dr. Bazian’s published book, Jerusalem in Islamic Consciousness, is a reflection of his desire to contribute to a better understanding of Muslim attachment and informed political attitudes toward the Sacred City and Palestine in general.

Currently, Dr. Bazian is working on two books, Silicon Rush: Documenting Muslim Communities in the the Silicon Valley; and Virtual Internment: Muslims and the War on Terrorism. Bazian most recent publication is a chapter contribution in French on Islamophobia and an entry to Oxford’s Human Rights Encyclopedia covering the HR under the Palestinian Authority.

As an activist, Dr. Bazian has played a significant role almost in every human and civil rights movement in the Bay Area, nationally and internationally including the defense of Affirmative Action in California, American With Disabilities Act, Anti-Apartheid, Anti-Globalization Movement, and Central American Solidarity struggles.

Dr. Bazian worked as Editor in Chief of Discourse Magazine, a monthly progressive publication in SF and post 9-11, co-hosted “Islam Today,” a 94.1 KPFA, KBFB in Berkeley and KFCF in Fresno weekly radio magazine show covering Islam and its diverse people around the world. Since September 11, he has appeared in many TV and Radio interviews, offered frequent commentary on current affairs and is a regular consultant for the San Francisco Chronicle on stories relating to Palestine, the Arab world, Islam, Muslims and world politics.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 31,      4 – 6 PM

FEDERAL BUILDING, DOWNTOWN, PITTSBURGH, PA

Sponsors include: Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee, Students for Justice in Palestine, Codepink, and many more to come…

One Year Anniversary of “Operation Cast Lead” Attacks on Gaza
On 27 December 2008, without warning, Israeli forces began a devastating bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip codenamed Operation “Cast Lead”. Its stated aim was to end rocket attacks into Israel by armed groups affiliated with Hamas and other Palestinian factions. However, the Israeli attack targeted civilians, school, universities, mosques, factories, and farms.

By 18 January 2009 some 1,400 Palestinians had been killed, a third of them children, and large areas of Gaza had been razed to the ground. To this date, and in spite of a massive world outcry against Israel’s murderous assault, not one Israeli government official or military personnel has been brought to justice.

Israel continues to receive full support from President Barak Obama, and the U. S. Congress, even though the UN Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have demanded a full investigation into Israel’s conduct during its latest war.

Gaza remains devastated

On Thursday, December 31, the Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee and others will join hundreds of groups worldwide to memorialize Israel’s latest war victims with a reading of the names of the dead, along with a visual presentation of Gaza today.

We plan to vigil outside the Federal Building on First Night, between 4 and 6PM.

Your support is needed

Please consider organizational support to the vigil by having your organization endorse and encourage all to attend.

October 23-25, 2009
Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Hosted by:
Pitt Students for Justice in Palestine
In participation with:
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation,
Hampshire Students for Justice in Palestine,
and Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee

REGISTRATION IS FREE. CLICK HERE

For more info, visit Students for Justice in Palestine HERE
Or email SJP at: sjp.pitt@gmail.com

What is BDS???

Boycott, divestment and sanctions are nonviolent tools that were successfully employed to bring justice to South Africans. Now a global movement of students, labor unions, and churches is using these same tools to bring equality to Palestinians and Israelis.

Almost daily, we hear about another successful campaign where a company or group has decided to divest from Israel. Recently, Britain’s unions committed to a mass boycott movement of Israeli goods, the Brazilian Parliament Called for the freeze of the Israel – Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, and the French company, Veolia, pulled out of the light rail project that would connect illegal Israeli settlements to Jerusalem.

Join us in strengthening the BDS movement in the region by attending this very important conference!

DIVEST FROM ISRAELI APARTHEID!

Agenda
for BDS Conference, University of Pittsburgh
October 23-25, 2009

Friday October 23rd

7 PM- 9 PM Opening Cultural Night
with Remi Kanazi — Palestinian-American poet and writer based in New York City. He is the editor of the recently released collection of poetry, spoken word, hip hop, and art, “Poets For Palestine.”

David Lawrence Hall Room 120

Saturday October 24

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
BDS Skill-Building Workshops
(all workshops and plenary sessions will be in the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning, please register for further details)

10:00-10:30 AM – Welcome & Introductory Plenary (Cathedral of Learning 204)

10:45 AM -12:00 PM – Workshop A
The International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement / Connecting with Palestinian Activists (Cathedral 204)
or
How to Research Corporations Involved in Israeli Occupation and Apartheid (Cathedral 206)

12:00-1:00 PM – Lunch Break, lunch will be provided to conference participants (Cathedral 236 and 237)

1:15-2:30 PM – Workshop B
How to Research Your University’s Investments (Cathedral 204)
or
Creative Arts in Activism (Cathedral 206)

2:45-4:00 PM – Workshop C
Media 101 (Cathedral 236)
or
Academic and Cultural Boycotts (Cathedral 237)

4:15-4:45 PM – Debrief & Announcements in Plenary (Cathedral 204)

Sunday October 25th
10 AM – 3 PM:  Campaign Planning and Action Steps (David Lawrence Hall 207)

10:00 AM -12:00 PM – Workshop report backs and ongoing workshops (David Lawrence 207)

12:00-1:00 PM – Lunch on your own

1:00-3:00 PM – Strategic planning session, come together to plan campaigns using skills from workshops (David Lawrence 209)

3:00-3:30 PM– Evaluation and closing (David Lawrence 209)

3:00-7:00 PM – Dinner on your own

7:00 – 9:00 PM
Theatrical production of My Name is Rachel Corrie
(Location TBA, likely to be in David Lawrence 120 or Grad School of Public Health G23)

- Join the Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee, Pitt Students for Justice in Palestine, and members of the community for our weekly “Stand for Palestine.”

- 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza have been under a debilitating military siege for the past two years, creating a “surrealistic situation in the Gaza Strip” forcing the tiny piece of land back to the Middle Ages, according to Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Karen Abu Zayd.

- On July 3, 2009, in an act of piracy, Israeli forces kidnapped 21 passengers on board a boat of the Free Gaza Movement–A human rights group that in August 2008 sent the first international boats to land in the port of Gaza in 41 years. Their mission is to break the siege of Gaza and to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of the Gaza Strip. Former US Congreewoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Maguire were on the boat and are still in an Israeli prison.

-Learn more about what President Jimmy Carter and Nelson Mandela have called “Worse than Apartheid South Africa” at Stand for Palestine

Thursday July 30, 2009
10pm-2am

With DJ James Gyre

Singer Songwriter Leslie Addis

Man in the Street

Live Art with Alberto J Almarza

Poetry

A Monster Raffle
Middle eastern food
and a lot more

$10-20
with no one turned away for lack’o funds

Shadow Lounge
5972 baum blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

for more info contact, joeskillet@riseup.net

On Saturday, July 18 and 8pm, “Pittsburgh Presents Palestine: A Night of Poetry, Plays & Performances” will open to the public. This is a limited, one-night engagement at Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theatre in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh.

The evening will consist of poetry readings of Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, a premier performance of “Palindrome” by Pittsburgh playwright, Jonas Moffat, an encore performance of Caryl Churchill’s “Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza,” and an eyewitness photo show set to live music by local musician and artist, Alberto Almarza, and more!

This evening of collected art forms serves as a benefit to help send local activists to Palestine to work with human rights groups. A reception will follow compliments of Allegro Hearth Bakery.

Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theatre is located at 540 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15222 in the Cultural District on Saturday, July 18th at 8pm. Tickets are $10 and seating is limited. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.