Ingrid Mattson - The Clash of Civilizations

Ingrid MattsonJuly 5, 20190 comments

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Interfaith Relations Islamic Ethics Islamophobia Peace & Reconciliation Family Muslim Identity Islam & the West Women in Islam

About this lecture

In this thought-provoking lecture, scholar Ingrid Mattson challenges Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations" thesis, arguing that the framing of Islam and the West as opposing civilizational blocs is historically shallow and dangerously misleading. Drawing on medieval history, Islamic spirituality, family life, and contemporary Muslim activism, she presents a richer model of religious identity — one rooted in a mosaic of faith and culture rather than rigid, clashing blocs. She concludes with a call for Muslim-Christian-Jewish cooperation grounded in shared religious values, pointing to the "A Common Word" initiative and figures like Muhammad Yunus as proof that faith can be a force for reconciliation and justice.

Dr. Ingrid Mattson is a Canadian convert to Islam, scholar, and one of the most respected Muslim academic leaders in North America. She earned her PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago and became the first woman and first convert elected president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), serving from 2006 to 2010. She held the chair in Islamic Studies at Hartford Seminary, where she developed the first accredited Muslim chaplaincy program in the US, and later the London and Windsor Community Chair in Islamic Studies at Huron University College in Canada. She writes and lectures on the Qur'an, Islamic ethics, and interfaith relations.

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