UNews - James Falconer

Understanding Islam

trevor.kenney — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:39:45 +0000

In an age when tension between religions has reached a critical point, the need for dialogue, understanding and tolerance has never been more important. An Endowment at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of lethbridge is supporting Islamic studies, and cultivating an understanding of world religions and appreciation of diversity.

By ERIKA JAHN (BA '08)

Islam is one of the world's great religious traditions – and one of the fastest growing in the West – but it is not without controversy. Since 9-11 particularly, Islam has been at the forefront of many discussions about the challenges of religious tolerance and increasing cultural diversity in the West.

It is also the subject of academic inquiry in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's small Department of Religious Studies and for students like Campbell Peat (BA '08) and James Falconer who study with religious studies professor Atif Khalil. What these students point out is that discussions about "Islam in the West" in the media, and by politicians and pundits alike, lack depth and empathy, and often are coloured by Islamophobia.

"That geopolitical conflicts have been framed in terms of religion or a clash of civilizations seems more like a convenient way for the West to label the 'other' as irrational and extremist while concealing the real roots of the conflicts," says Falconer.

As a student and research assistant in the Department of Sociology at the U of L, Falconer has studied Muslim immigration in the West, complementing his studies with courses about Islam to better understand the cultural and religious context of those he researches.

"The courses in Islamic studies have the potential to help transcend the profound misunderstandings about Islam held by those in western societies, myself included," says Falconer.
"Muslim immigrants are overwhelmingly educated, secularist, progressive and modern – that's why they immigrated to the West," he goes on to explain.

Muslim immigrants to western countries like Canada often find themselves confronted in their new country by misgivings and misunderstandings about their faith, and ultimately about them as citizens.

It was with the hope of dispelling these kinds of misunderstandings that one such Canadian immigrant, the late Dr. Mushtaq Khan, who was a senior research scientist at the Lethbridge Research Station for 28 years, and his wife Catherine Khan (BEd '72, BASc '77), who served as president of the U of L Alumni Association from 1975-1977, established the Mushtaq and Catherine Khan Endowment at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Grad student Campbell Peat (right) is currently completing his MA on the Spanish Sufi mystic, Ibn Arabi, and intends to pursue doctoral work in the near future. Undergraduate James Falconer (left) has completed his degree requirements and will convocate in June 2011. He intends to pursue an MA in sociology.

"We wanted people to know what Islam really is, and that Muslims have about as much to do with terrorism as you or me," Catherine explains. "Most of the people who are Muslim are peaceful, law-abiding citizens who only want to live at peace with their neighbours."

After the events of 9-11, the need for education and cross-cultural understanding only grew. The Khans believed that in supporting education about Islam, they were supporting a future with increased tolerance and less fear.

"We thought if there was more education about what Islam really is then people wouldn't be afraid of it as much as they are," Catherine explains.

The Khans' financial support enabled the Department of Religious Studies to recruit Professor Khalil in 2007 and to attract prominent scholars to speak at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ on the topic of Islam. Khalil, who teaches classes ranging from world religions to upper-level philosophy and theology courses, notes the importance of studying Islam in a country with a growing Muslim population and intensifying anti-Islamic sentiments in the media.

"Canadians, in my view, should not be afraid. Even though there are forms of Islam that are isolationist and exclusivist, mainstream Canadian Islam, which is the Islam of the vast majority of Muslims, stresses peaceful coexistence and tolerance," says Khalil. He hopes that through his courses and the study of Islam and religion more generally, students will come to appreciate the diversity and complexity of religion, allowing them to form relationships of respect with their peers and neighbours, rather than fear or hostility.

Since Khalil's arrival at the U of L and the support from the Khans, the department has expanded its library holdings and attracted some high-profile speakers. Most notable, however, is the benefit to the student population and to the wider community.

"It is my hope that our courses on Islam instil in students a greater appreciation of the richness and diversity of our world, of our religious traditions and of the collective wisdom of the human race," says Khalil. It's a sentiment that has captured the imaginations of many who pass through the department and that is mirrored in the testimony of his students.

"If anything, the promotion of Islamic studies encourages the individual to adopt a reflective position that approaches Islam as a multidimensional display of human emotion and belief," says Peat. "Even a basic understanding of Islam goes a great way to combat ideas of cultural antagonism."

Falconer agrees, and says that he was surprised to learn that Islamic and western civilizations share the same intellectual roots. "They are more compatible than most would imagine based on modern western portrayals and perceptions of Islam," he says.

The Khans' donation has sown the seeds for a future in which mutual understanding and respect between people might blossom.

"Mushtaq was always tolerant of other religions and encouraged tolerance from others," recalls Catherine. "It was his hope that others in his adopted Canadian community could at minimum attempt to understand Islam."

The hopes that fuelled the donation to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are being fulfilled as hundreds of students every semester enrol in the department's courses and are increasingly exposed to the religions and cultures of their Canadian neighbours.

"The fact that the son of a farmer is able to study one of the world's great traditions in the southern Alberta town he grew up in is simply astounding," says Peat. "Even in smaller communities like Lethbridge we are able to see the effects of global integration. Without founding a multicultural spirit and exploratory ethos we run the risk of letting our ideas of Islam (or any religion, for that matter) become superficial and narrow."

The Khans' commitment to supporting liberal education and the study of religion is indeed one step in the right direction toward a society more tolerant, just and curious about the beliefs of others. It is clear this contribution is helping to mould thoughtful citizens, leaders and educators of tomorrow who are less focused on religious differences and more interested in exploring our shared human experiences.

This story first appeared in the Spring issue of SAM. For a look at the entire SAM magazine in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Student undergraduate research award winners

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:55:09 +0000

Following are the 2010 Student Research Awards for undergraduate students. Please note that some awards might not be listed because the granting agency has not yet given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ permission to publicly release the information.

AHFMR Summer Studentship Awards
(Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research)

Katie Areshenko, Biological Sciences (O. Kovalchuk)
Elfriede Dyck, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)
Kristyn Kurio, Neuroscience (G. Metz)
Rajat Thapa, Neuroscience (R. Sutherland)
Saif Zahir, Neuroscience (B. Kolb)

Chinook Research Summer Awards

Lowell Ayers, Philosophy (T. Govier)
Lisa Boody, History (L. Kennedy)
Janelle Brodner, Modern Languages (N. Rosen)
Brett Clifton, History (A. Shaw)
Michael De Coste, Physics (B. Seyed-Mahmoud)
Laura Faber, Mathematics & Computer Science (H. Kadiri)
James Falconer, Sociology (A.Kazemipur)
Yang Li, Mathematics & Computer Science (N. Ng & A. Akbary)
Sheena MacInnis, Neuroscience (M. Tata)
Dominic Mudiayi, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Hugh Ramp, Mathematics & Computer Science (H. Kharaghani)
Dasha Reizvikh, Health Sciences (B. Lee)
Laura Richardson, Anthropology (J. Newberry)
Bethany Schmidt, Sociology (R. Wood)
Rachel Shields, Sociology (C. Malacrida)
Tyler Stewart, Fine Arts (A. Dymond)
Jennifer VanderFluit, Fine Arts (A. Dymond)
Sophia Vathracoulis, Chemistry & Biochemistry (P. Hayes)
Vanessa Wall, Health Sciences (B. Hagen)
Elizabeth Young, History (H. MacDonald)
Amber Zary, Sociology (T. Harrison)

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

Trystyn Berg, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Darcy Best, Mathematics & Computer Science (K. Kharaghani)
Alix Blackshaw, Neuroscience (A. Iwaniuk)
Lisza Bruder, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Mosimann)
Mackenzie Coatham, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Adriena De Visser, Biological Sciences (B. Selinger)
Jarrod Dowdall, Neuroscience (M. Tata)
Shey Eagle Bear, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Melissa Ferrari, Neuroscience & Physics (A. Cross)
Jason Flindall, Psychology (D. Weeks)
Thomas Fox, Geography (C. Hugenholtz)
Andrea Glover, Chemistry & Biochemistry (P. Hayes)
Dillon Hambrook, Neuroscience (A. Luczak)
Tanner Heggie, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Breanne Kamenz, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Fern Leavens, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Elizabeth Millions, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Samuel Neale, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Kirsten Rosler, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Keilan Scholten, Mathematics & Computer Science (A. Akbary)
Jordan Van Dyk, Biological Sciences (E. Schultz)

Alberta Cancer Foundation Studentship

Philip Kubara, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)

2010 student research awards (undergraduate)

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:30:39 +0000

AHFMR Summer Studentship Awards
(Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research)

Chinook Research Summer Awards

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

Alberta Cancer Foundation Studentship

Philip Kubara, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)

Student speakers take the challenge

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:04:08 +0000

The discourse was lively, the questions pointed and the answers unscripted – just what you'd want out of a public debate.

The second incarnation of the now annual Student Speaker Challenge kicked off in early January as a field of eight students began quarter-final rounds en route to determining a champion in March. For participants James Falconer and Selin Bilgin, the challenge serves as an opportunity to engage in a timeless and pure form of education.

"It's the old style, classic Greek conception of the university," says Falconer, a fourth-year sociology major. "The stadium, the discourse, the back-and-forth dialectic, that's what I thrive on and this is a wonderful example."

This year's question, "What is the value of post-secondary education to the world?" is especially relevant to students and attracted Bilgin, a first-year education student, to the competition.

"I know that there is a prize for the winner but more than anything, I wanted to do it for my personal experience," says Bilgin. "I do want to be a teacher so I have to get used to talking in front of a bunch of people, and it's a topic I care about and something I knew I could talk about."

The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA), the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG), and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU), with support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"We've been trying to make inroads on campus for a few years now and this idea, having a speaker challenge, works for us because it involves students and will hopefully attract some attention to what SACPA does in the city," says spokesperson Knud Petersen.

The format is simple, pitting two speakers against one another as they present their views on a predetermined topic. Each participant is given 15 minutes to speak, after which they answer questions from both the audience and the three-person judging panel. Following both presentations, the judges vote on who prevails and advances to the next round. A $500 award goes to the eventual champion, with $300 and $100 awards handed out to the second and third place finishers respectively.

"It's great to see off campus groups like SACPA join on campus organizations like LPIRG and the ULSU in presenting this because we all are interested in educating the public on important policy issues," says ULSU Vice-President Academic Alex Masse. "We do it much better collaboratively than we would be able to alone."

Falconer defeated Bilgin in their quarter-final matchup but she was roundly praised for taking on such a daunting task in just her second semester of post-secondary study.

"It was definitely tough and a little scary, especially when you make a mistake," says Bilgin. "I learned that the people here are very supportive. When I looked out I could see smiling faces, and they were paying attention to me, so that made me a lot more comfortable. It was definitely a great experience."

Masse says the challenge benefits everyone who takes part, including the audience.

"It's a great learning experience. I know I learn a few things from every speaker I hear because they present arguments I hadn't thought of before."

The challenge continues through to the Mar. 9 final at Andy's Place. Check the Notice Board for session dates and times.

Students benefit from donor support

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:54:16 +0000

A challenging economy has not affected the generosity of the individuals and organizations that supported the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2009.

"Last year, close to 1,500 individuals and organizations partnered with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to raise nearly $8.4 million," ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Bill Cade says. "Of those gifts, $4.5 million was raised to support student awards. Those are numbers we can all take great pride in."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will release its 2009 Donor Report to the community as part of its SAM magazine distribution, which takes place in late February. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is holding its annual Donor Gala, at which donors are recognized for their valuable contributions to the institution.

"We are incredibly grateful for the support this community shows to its ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," adds Cade. "Even when times are tight, people from Lethbridge – and many other Albertans – have shown that they value the important role the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge fulfills, and they recognize the importance of its contributions to our city, province and country."

Cade says attracting new donors and maintaining solid relationships with existing donors contributed to the increase in support from 2008, when the institution raised more than $7 million.

In the end, it is students such as Cassandra Churchill, the winner of the Dr. Barbara June Whitlock Chemistry Scholarship, and James Falconer, the winner of the Senate Award, who benefit from the donor support.

Cade adds that the work of volunteers in raising funds for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the addition of new programs – like the new student-run alumni call centre – also play a significant role.

"Our ongoing donor generosity also enabled the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to leverage more than $3 million in matching funds from the Government of Alberta through the Access to the Future Fund," Cade says. "This has been an outstanding commitment on the part of the Government of Alberta to support our students. Since 2005, more than $12 million has been directed toward the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for scholarships, bursaries and support to the institution as a result of the province's matching program."

For more information on donor activity at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, visit this Giving website.

2009 DONOR REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

Total dollars raised = $8,368,626

Total number of gifts = 3,619

Total dollars raised for student awards = $4,487,908

Total number of gifts for student awards = 2,386

Total number of 2009 donors = 1,483

Total number of first time U of L donors in 2009 = 652

Number of areas supported = 233

Student Speaker Challenge continues

trevor.kenney — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:18:12 +0000

The second of four quarter-final sessions of the Student Speaker Challenge is ready to go, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Students' Union.

The annual event is in its second year and with eight talented student speakers taking part, has begun to capture an audience and, at the same time, some profile on campus.

"It's a very valuable place for students at all levels and stages of their university careers to develop their public speaking and presentation skills and to generally be able to stand up to audience scrutiny in a positive way," says Alex Masse, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union vice-president academic.
"We learned last year that if we put an effort into recruiting good students, we get very good speakers and I believe we've got an excellent lineup this year."

The How Education Benefits the World Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA), the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG), and the Students' Union (ULSU), with support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The challenge began Jan. 13 when speakers James Falconer and Selin Bilgin squared off in the first quarter-final, addressing the question, "What is the value of post-secondary education to the world?" After making 15-minute presentations, each speaker then opened the floor to another 15 minutes of questioning from the assembled audience as well as the three-person panel of judges. Falconer was declared the winner of the first matchup and will advance to the semifinal sessions, Feb. 23 and Mar. 2.

The final session will be Tuesday, Mar. 9, 7 p.m. at Andy's Place. The winner of the event will receive a $500 award, second place $300 and third place $100. All sessions are open to the public.

"It's the old style, classic Greek conception of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Falconer, a fourth-year sociology major. "The stadium, the discourse, the back-and-forth dialectic, that's what I thrive on and this is a wonderful example."

Following is the challenge lineup.

Session Schedule

Session 2 - Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A, SUB
Speakers - Cashe Erskine and Keith McLaughlin

Session 3 - Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 12:15 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - Vanessa Lodermeier and Keith Gardner

Session 4 - Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 12:15 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - Kate Nesbitt and Saikat Basu

Semifinal Sessions
Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Tuesday, Mar. 2 at 4:30 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - TBA

Final Session - Tuesday, Mar. 9 at 7 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100)

Student Speaker Challenge begins

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:08:12 +0000

The second annual Student Speaker Challenge is set to kick off on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Students' Union Building.

A total of eight students are scheduled to take part in this year's event, addressing the question, "What is the value of post-secondary education to the world?"

The How Education Benefits the World Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA), the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) and the U of L Students' Union (ULSU), with support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

There will be four initial sessions each with two speakers. Two semifinal sessions will then be held, followed by one final session to determine who can best present and defend their ideas on the value of post-secondary education.

The challenge begins this week with student speakers Selin Bilgin and James Falconer as they square off for a chance to advance to the next round of the competition. A panel of judges and the audience will determine who advances to the second stage of the event and the chance to win the first prize of $500, a second prize of $300, or a third prize of $100.

The initial sessions will be held weekly, concluding Tuesday, Feb. 2. Semifinal sessions are scheduled for Feb. 23 and Mar. 2 with the final session on Tuesday, Mar. 9 at Andy's Place. Everyone is welcome to attend the sessions.

Student Speaker Challenge Session Schedule

Session 1 - Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A, SUB
Speakers - Selin Bilgin and James Falconer

Session 2 - Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroon A, SUB
Speakers - Cashe Erskine and Keith McLaughlin

Session 3 - Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 12:15 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - Vanessa Lodermeier and Keith Gardner

Session 4 - Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 12:15 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - Kate Nesbitt and Saikat Basu

Semifinal Sessions

Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Tuesday, Mar. 2 at 4:30 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - TBA

Final Session - Tuesday, Mar. 9 at 7 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100)

UNews - James Falconer

Understanding Islam

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