Dr. David Simonowitz: "Pilgrimage Practices in Early Modern Islam"

Dr. David Simonowitz: "Pilgrimage Practices in Early Modern Islam" 

Thursday, November 21.  2 pm.
Surfboard Room

Pepperdine Professor David Simonowitz examines the history and impact of Islamic pilgrimage practices in the late 19th and early 20th century.  This lecture is part of a series of talks which support the “Muslim Journeys Bookshelf,” a grant awarded to Pepperdine University Libraries by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.   Librarian Sally Bryant directs the project, and the lead scholar is Dr. Simonowitz.  The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf, a group of books and DVDs that explore the Muslim experience, is available at Payson Library.

Now Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies, Dr. Simonowitz has served Pepperdine as a visiting professor in Middle East Studies since 2009.  He has taught Islamic Art at UCSB and lectured at University of California, Los Angeles, where he received his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies.  He has published research on Yemen, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.  Fluent in modern standard Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, Spanish, and French, and with advanced knowledge of Persian, Dr. Simonowitz has also worked as a translator and editor. 

As an expert on the Middle East, Dr. Simonowitz notes the complexity of the vast variety of regions that make up what we call the Middle East:  “It’s such a diverse region, with countless historical, social, and cultural factors, and even geography, that make it far more complex than we tend to imagine.  It’s hard to describe the people of these countries through sweeping generalizations.”