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11/11/2004 12:14:00 AM

Next Scientia to examine meanings of ‘jihad’

David Cook, assistant professor of religious studies, will go right to the core of the inter-Muslim debate about the many meanings of “jihad” in the next Scientia lecture.

While for non-Muslims “jihad” equals “holy war” or “unreasoning fanaticism,” for Muslims it is a closely regulated, religiously sanctioned form of struggle. Does it always mean violence or are there other interpretations of jihad that are equally valid? As Muslims struggle to create an identity for themselves in a pluralistic and global society, Cook will answer these important questions in a lecture titled “Does ‘Jihad’ Mean Violence?” The lecture will take place at 4 p.m. Nov. 16 in McMurtry Auditorium, Anne and Charles Duncan Hall.

Throughout this year’s Scientia series, “Conflict, Violence and War,” speakers are examining a spectrum of topics, extending from the appearance of violence in images to the occurrence of competition versus cooperation in gaming and bargaining experiments. The series is looking at the causes and possible purposes of violent behavior as well as what might be done to contain violence in the future.

An institute of Rice faculty, Scientia was founded in 1981 by the mathematician and historian of science Salomon Bochner. Scientia provides an opportunity for scholarly discussion across disciplinary boundaries; its members and fellows come from a wide range of academic disciplines.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, visit <www.ruf.rice.edu/~scientia>.