FIU presents lecture on racial profiling after 9-11

WHAT: The recent attempt by Nigerian-born Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up a transatlantic flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas day has increased debate over the utility of profiling as a means of preventing future terror acts. While some experts have argued that including race and religion when conducting airport screening is a must for effectively rooting out possible terrorists, other experts have claimed such screening is counterproductive and often unjustly targets people of one religion in particular—Muslims.

Exploring the latter side of this debate, FIU’s Middle East Society will present a lecture by Cyra Choudhury, who will discuss how such profiling has resulted in the incarceration of Muslim men yielding few convictions on terrorism charges. She will also share her view that such a race-based policy has diverted attention away from catching the real terrorists and is doomed to fail.

WHO: Choudhury is an assistant professor within FIU’s College of Law. Her scholarly work has focused on postcolonial theory and subaltern studies, critical theory, and identity, culture and nationalism. Her recent publications focus on the intersection of gender and religious identity in South Asia and the Muslim world, as well as on international human rights theory. For more information about Choudhury visit: http://law.lawnet.fiu.edu/uploads/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=278   

WHEN AND WHERE:  2:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, 2010 in Room 194 of the Academic 1 Building at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, 3000 NE 151^st St., North Miami.  The event, which is open to the public, and parking is free.   

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Middle East Society at 305-919-5381.

Media Contact:  Lissette Lanza at 305-348-2232. 

-FIU- 

About MES:
MES is a component of the School of International and Public Affairs at Florida International University. Headquartered on FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, MES is an organization dedicated to attracting high-profile speakers and hosting interactive events related to the Middle East.  The MES provides its members with a unique opportunity to discuss and debate matters related to the region with top experts from around the globe in an academic setting. MES’ ultimate goal is to help secure FIU’s place as a center of debate and learning on matters concerning the Middle East. In addition, through its outreach to the local community, MES is an important funding source for student scholarships. Our speakers have included published scholars, featured pundits, and award-winning reporters. As an MES member you not only support our students and programming in international relations, but you also help secure a future for the university as a thriving center of learning. For more information about MES go to http://international.fiu.edu/uploads/index.php?name=middle_east_society   

About FIU:
Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, its 12 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. More than 100,000 FIU alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University”. In August 2009, FIU welcomed the inaugural class of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu.