The Sixth Annual Central & Southwest Asia Conference:
Religion, Violence and Law – Islam and Human Rights in Central and Southwest Asia

  • Thursday, April 24 - Saturday, April 26, 2008

    Thursday, April 24

    Tajikistan and Afghanistan: The Past and Present

    • Time: 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
    • Chair and discussant: Dr. Ardi Kia, Associate Director, Central and Southwest Asia Program and Department of Anthropology, The University of Montana
    • Tajik Presenters: Layokat Rasulova, Umed Partov, Mahdi Usmonov, Said Gaforov, Akram Mirzoev, Hojamurod Hojaev, Mavzuna Turayeva, and Rakhshonak Zaripova
    • Afghan Presenter: Shakib Rajaieean
    • Venue: University Center Theater

    Tajikistan: Independent Tajikistan and the World Community

    • Time: 2:00-3:30 PM
    • Chair and Discussant: Dr. Ardi Kia, Associate Director, Central and Southwest Asia Program and Department of Anthropology, The University of Montana
    • Presenter: His Excellency Abdujabbor Shirinov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to the United States            
    • Venue: University Center Theater


    The Taliban and Islamic Militants in Afghanistan and Central Asia

    • Time: 3:30-5:00 PM
    • Chair and Discussant: John Fox, Director of the Office for Afghanistan at the United States Department of State
    • Panelists: Dr. Mehrdad Kia, Associate Provost for International Programs and Director, Central and Southwest Asia Program, The University of Montana and Jeff Renz, Professor of Law, The University of Montana
    • Discussant: Dr. Nancy Lubin, President of JNA Associates, Inc., and Senior Fellow for Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council
    • Venue: University Center Theater

    Keynote Panel – Religion, Violence, and Law in the Arab Middle East: The Challenges to Political Reform

    • Time: 7:30-9:00 PM
    • Chair and Discussant: Dr. Richard Drake, Chair and Professor, Department of History, The University of Montana
    • Panelists: Dr. Marina Ottaway, Director of the Middle East Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Dr. David Ottaway, Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center
    • Discussant: John G. Fox, Director of the Office for Afghanistan at the United States Department of State
    • Venue: University Center Theater

    Friday, April 25

    Arabic: The Language of Islamic Religion, Law and Politics

    • Time: 1:00-2:45 PM
    • Chair and Panelist: Samir Bitar, Arabic Language and Literature, Central and Southwest Asia Program & Department of Modern and Classical Languages & Literatures
    • Panelists: Dr. Shukri Abed, Chairman of the Department of Languages and Regional Studies at Middle East Institute, D.C., and Khaled Huthaily, Arabic Language and Linguistics, Central and Southwest Asia Program & Department of Modern and Classical Languages & Literatures, The University of Montana
    • Venue: University Center Theater

    Islam in Turkey and the Caucasus: A re-appraisal

    • Time: 3:00-5:00 PM
    • Chair and discussant: Thomas Goltz, Resident Scholar and Faculty Associate, Central and Southwest Asia Program and Department of Anthropology, The University of Montana
    • Discussant: Dr. Sevgin Akis Roney, Bogazici University, Department of Tourism Administration, and Visiting Professor, Department of Political Science, Montana State University
    • Panelists: Elin Suleymanov, Consul General of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Los Angeles and Western States of the United States; Tamila Meladze, Turkish Language and Literature, Central and Southwest Asia Program & Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures; and David Grimland, former United States Department of State
    • Venue: University Center Theater

    Cultural Event – Tajik Music and Dance Performance and Jeffrey Werbock, President of the U.S.-based Mugham Society, will play music from the mugham tradition

    • Time: 6:30-7:30 PM
    • Venue: University Center Theater

    Keynote Panel – Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights

    • Time: 7:30-9:00 PM
    • Moderator: Ian Marquand, KPAX Television
    • Panelists: James Park Taylor, Co-Director Juries and Democracy Program, The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, The University of Montana; Omer Kanat, Radio Free Asia; Praveen Swami, Journalist; Nancy Hollander, Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg & Ives P.A.
    • Venue: University Center Theater

Saturday, April 26

Roundtable Discussion

    • Time: 10:00 AM-Noon
    • Chair and moderator: Dr. Nancy Lubin, President of JNA Associates, Inc., and Senior Fellow for Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council
    • Panelists: His Excellency Abdujabbor Shirinov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to the United States; Elin Suleymanov, Consul General of Azerbaijan to the United States, Los Angeles; John G. Fox, Director of the Office for Afghanistan at the United States Department of State; Dr. Marina Ottaway, Director of the Middle East Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Dr. David Ottaway, Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center; Dr. Shukri Abed, Chairman of the Department of Languages and Regional Studies at Middle East Institute; Omer Kanat, Radio Free Asia; Praveen Swami, Journalist; Nancy Hollander, Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg & Ives P.A.
    • Venue:  University Center Theater

Sponsors: Humanities Montana, International Programs, Office of the President, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, Center for Ethics, World Affairs Council of Montana, Missoula Ministerial Association, and the Central and Southwest Asia Program

For more information on this conference, please contact the Central & Southwest Asia Program at The University of Montana, (406) 243-2299, or e-mail: brian.lofink@mso.umt.edu.