American University Islamic Lecture Series 2011
In Honor of the 100th Anniversary of Ameen Rihani and the Book of Khalid
Dialogue on Identity: Arab, Muslim, and Western Perspectives from Literature
and Experience
Sponsored by the Mohammed Said Farsi Chair of Islamic Peace, International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program, Washington
College of Law International Legal Studies Program, American University’s Muslim Student Association and the Center for Global
Peace
Wednesday April 13, 2011
3:00 – 5:00pm
SIS Founder’s Room
American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Todd Fine, Director, Project Khalid
Yvonne Haddad, Professor of the History of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the Center for
Muslim-Christian Understanding
Amani Elkassabany, Staff Development Teacher, Thomas S. Wootton High School
Faiq Malik, Student, American University
This year marks the one hundredth anniversary of the first Arab-American novel, The Book of Khalid. Its
author, Ameen Rihani, tells the tale of two Arab boys in New York City, weaving themes of immigration,
religious and cultural identity, and relations between the East and the West--all of which hold significant
relevance today. This panel brings the year of 1911 to 2011, exploring how The Book of Khalid and Ameen
Rihani's message of dialogue and coexistence carry critical lessons for the 21st century and the particular
experiences of Muslim Americans today. How do Muslim Americans define and express their religious and
cultural identity in the current political context? How does their experience relate to the story of Ameen
Rihani's 19th-century characters? What can we learn about the rich American tradition of immigration and
coexistence, and the ways in which Arab and Muslim Americans fit within?
This event is part of American University’s newest lecture series, Engaged Conversations: Perspectives on Islam and
Contemporary Global Issues that features a diversity of voices on critical topics related to Islam and Muslims in a
globalized world. For more information, visit: www.american.edu/sis/islamicpeacechair.