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We invite you to join us for the Fall 2024 Lester Lecture: "Polyvalence, Ambiguity and the Politics of Islamic Studies," by Dr. Marion Katz.

Thursday, November 14th, 5:30 PM

Eaton Humanities 250

Over the last several decades, polyvalence (in the sense of the simultaneous recognition of multiple potentially valid meanings) and the related phenomenon of ambiguity have become established themes –and implicitly central values- of the western academic study of premodern Islam. Conversely, accounts of the impact of colonialism and the transition to modern forms of Islamic thought have often thematized the rise of monovalent and unambiguous ways of reading and thinking. This trend has helpfully highlighted the diversity and richness of premodern Islamic thought. However, it has also become a trope with unexamined political valences.

Marion Katz is a Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at New York University. Her books include Prayer in Islamic Thought and Practice (2013),ÌýWomen in the Mosque: A History of Legal Thought and Social Practice (2014), and Wives and Work: Islamic Law and Ethics Before Modernity (2022).

This event is free and open to the public. Snacks and refreshments will be served.