In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks and deepening Syrian refugee crisis, Islamic studies, international law, immigration and refugee law, and political science scholars at The University of Toledo are teaming up to moderate a teach-in to help the campus and Toledo community examine what is happening and how it hits home.
Benjamin G. Davis, a professor at the UT College of Law and member of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Law and National Security, just returned from Paris and Hungary with firsthand knowledge of the evolving situation.
Davis will lead the teach-in Thursday, Nov. 19, at 4 p.m. in Law Center Room 1013, along with Dr. Ovamir Anjum, the Imam Khattab Chair of Islamic Studies; Dr. Joel Voss, assistant professor of political science, who has lived in France; and Shelley Cavalieri, associate professor of law.
“Having been on the ground this past week in Paris and 10 miles from the Serbian border in Hungary where the Syrian refugees are, the hope is to use that experience to help the University and community understand these events over the last 10 days and have their questions answered,” Davis said.
The free, public teach-in is sponsored by the International Law Society.
“It’s an educational opportunity, but it’s also an opportunity to discuss the issues in an informal manner,” Voss said.
“This is a political fight,” Anjum said. “ISIS coordinated the attacks because it doesn’t want refugees to find refuge in the West.”
“We will be providing answers to questions and correcting misinformation in the public sphere regarding refugee resettlement, international law and terrorism,” Cavalieri said.
