Eboo Patel

Patel is the founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core based in Chicago. Established in 1999, this international nonprofit strives to “build mutual respect and pluralism among young people from different religious traditions by empowering them to work together to serve others”. His recent book Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation details his coming of age and desire for religious pluralism in our society. Patel will discuss his work at Interfaith Youth Core, as well as the need for interfaith activism among students, at a special event on Thursday, February 21, 2008, sponsored by the College of Social Sciences Broad Lecture Series, and hosted by the Claude Pepper Center.

Past Speakers

Richard A. Clarke

On Wednesday, November 28, 2007, Richard A. Clarke, former chief counter-terrorism czar under United States Presidents Clinton and Bush, spoke to a diverse audience of approximately 150. The attendees included Florida State University (FSU) students, faculty, and staff from several departments as well as members of the public, the Florida legislature and the Tallahassee City Commission. The event was the first in the National Security Lecture Series and was hosted at the Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University by the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and the Claude Pepper Center for Intercultural Dialogue. Read more about Richard A. Clarke »

Azouz Begag

Azouz Begag visited Florida State University and the Claude Pepper Center October 17, 2007. M. Begag’s lecture, "The Politics of Anti-Racism in France: Lessons from Government," focused on the crisis of identity, using his personal experiences as illustration. Students engaged in a vibrant question-answer session with Begag with discussion topics ranging the role of the European Union in the issue of immigrant identity to the threat of terrorism. Read more about Azouz Begag »