Marshall University is among 842 institutions nationwide and two in southern West Virginia that have been selected to receive the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities “Bridging Cultures” initiative. The announcement was made earlier this month.
The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf is a collection of books, films, and other resources that will introduce the American public to the complex history and culture of Muslims in the United States and around the world, according to NEH officials.
Marshall’s participation in the program was initiated by Dr. Majed Khader, associate librarian, and Dr. David Pittenger, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
“By participating in the Muslim Journeys project we will set the occasion for a frank and forthright discussion of the culture, literature, art, and profound beliefs of the Muslim tradition,” Khader said. “More importantly, this discussion will occur in the context of a respectful discussion of other religious traditions, as we believe that a culture is best understood when placed in historical and social context.”
“Marshall University wishes to be a central educational resource that will allow our students and community to learn more about Islam and other critical religions,” Pittenger said. “Our receipt of this collection means that we can further this goal.”
Pittenger said that the university and Cabell County Libraries intend to hold a number of public events that afford the discussion of the books and films in the collection. These events will provide opportunities to discuss the materials and messages the collection contains.
According to the NIH, libraries that have received the bookshelf materials also will be eligible for future programming grant opportunities.
Support for the development and distribution of the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf was provided by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York, with additional support for the arts and media components from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.
