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Shireen Hunter (left) and Iwona Sadecka, Press and Culture Specialist sightseeing Krakow
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Professor Shireen Hunter of Georgetown University met with students from the Political Science, Eastern Studies and other departments of Jagiellonian University for two separate lectures entitled “The Clash of Civilizations” and “Modernization, Democracy and Islam”. In both discussions, Professor Hunter stressed that Islam is not homogeneous and argued that Islam plays a limited role in the political actions of nations. She also reminded the students of the number of predominately Muslim countries that are strong Western allies. In reference to democratic development in the West, Professor Hunter stressed how difficult modernization and democracy have been for some Western countries, and that Western assumptions about the “backwardness” of Islamic countries are often oversimplified or incorrect. Professor Hunter also gave two long interviews to a national radio station and a well-respected weekly, Tygodnik Powszechny. Since her visit to Poland coincided with the Pope’s visit to Turkey, Professor Hunter was asked to talk about Islam and Christianity and Turkey and EU accession.
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