February 06, 2023

Credit: Clement, ReneIrshad Manji, renowned author, educator and advocate of a reformist interpretation of Islam, will present the Alice Pope Shade Lecture, Taboo Questions About Identity: How To Discuss Faith, Justice and Politics Without Melting Down, at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, in the Degenstein Center Theater at Susquehanna University.

The event is free and open to the public.

Manji is a renowned author, educator and advocate of a reformist interpretation of Islam. In her internationally acclaimed work, Manji models the key teaching of moral courage: that doing the right thing in the face of our fears makes us whole.

Manji is a senior fellow with the University of Oxford’s Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights, where she teaches emerging leaders how to become solution-oriented communicators in polarized environments.

She is also the founder and president of Moral Courage College, which teaches people worldwide — from K-12 to corporate leaders — how to turn contentious issues into constructive conversations and healthy teamwork.

Manji was the first recipient of Oprah Winfrey’s Chutzpah Award for “audacity, nerve, boldness, and conviction” and is a New York Times bestselling author. Her latest book, Don’t Label Me: How to Do Diversity Without Inflaming the Culture Wars, is a unique conversation about diversity, bigotry and our common humanity.

Manji has made many national media appearances, including Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN with Christiane Amanpour and Morning Joe, as well as Time, NPR, Newsweek, People and many more.

Susquehanna University’s annual Shade lecture is made possible by the Alice Pope Shade Fund, established in 1983 by her daughter and Susquehanna graduate, Rebecca Shade ’54 Mignot, to bring nationally and internationally renowned religious scholars and leaders to campus.