Launch of Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life

Date:	November 06, 2008 from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm EST
Location:	Rotunda, Low Memorial Library
Contact:	For further information regarding this event, please contact Emily Brennan by sending email to eb422@columbia.edu .

Since its founding last year, the Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life has developed a broad range of programs to promote a better understanding of the complexities and problems involving religion in contemporary society. This fall, the Institute will celebrate its inauguration with an afternoon of public lectures and discussion. In addition to this, the Institute will sponsor a series of events throughout the year. For more information and to join our mailing list, please visit our website.

Program ~

The Past and Future of Religion & Toleration, 1–2:30 pm

• Toleration Faculty Working Group: Karen Barkey, Rajeev Bhargava. Akeel Bilgrami, Ira Katznelson, Sudipta Kaviraj, Alfred Stepan, Nadia Urbinati

• with Charles Taylor, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at McGill University

Art, Religion and Politics: Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, 3-4:30 pm

• Thomas Krens, Director of Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation

Literature and Terror, 5-6:30pm

• Salman Rushdie, whose Midnight’s Children (1981) was recently named the best novel to have won the Man Booker Prize

• Opening remarks by Lee C. Bollinger, President of Columbia University

• Introduction by Orhan Pamuk, 2006 Nobel Laureate in Literature