Dear Colleagues:

The Islamic State, which is also referred to as ISIS or ISIL, has become the new face of military Islam. Its development out of the nearly defunct Al Qaeda in Iraq has been a startling transformation from a group near destruction to one that controls territory the size of Great Britain in Syria and Iraq and has sprouted franchises in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Yemen.

Professor Kaltenthaler will discuss a series of questions related to the Islamic State. How was the Islamic State able to make such a tremendous resurgence and conquer so much territory so quickly? In what important ways does the Islamic State differ from Al Qaeda? What are the ramifications of the competition between the Islamic State and Al Qaeda? What will it take to defeat the Islamic State and do the prospects for that look promising? What are the stakes in the Islamic State’s rise and future?

All best regards,
Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies

About Our Guest

Professor Karl Kaltenthaler received his Ph.D. from Washington University in 1995. His research has centered on how publics in various countries think about issues such as political violence and terrorism as well as international and domestic policy issues such as welfare provision, privatization, economic integration, and trade. He has a particular interest in how individual social psychology affects how people think about politics. He is currently working on a series of projects on how terrorism and the U.S. “war on terror” are perceived in the Islamic world. Professor Kaltenthaler is currently running a nation-wide survey project in Pakistan focusing on public attitudes toward Islamist militancy and media consumption.

Where We Meet

The Friday Public Affairs Lunch convenes each Friday when classes are in session, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. We usually meet in the Dampeer Room of Kelvin Smith Library. The Dampeer Room is on the second floor of the library. If you get off the elevators, turn right, pass the first bank of tables, and turn right again. Occasionally we need to use a different room; that will always be announced in the weekly e-mails.

Parking Possibilities

The most convenient parking is the lot underneath Severance Hall. We regret that it is not free. From that lot there is an elevator up to street level (labeled as for the Thwing Center); it is less than 50 yards from that exit to the library entrance. You can get from the Severance garage to the library without going outside. Near the entry gates – just to the right if you were driving out – there is a door into a corridor. Walk down the corridor and there will be another door. Beyond that door you’ll find the entrance to an elevator which goes up to an entrance right inside the doors to Kelvin Smith Library.

Friday Lunch Upcoming Topics and Speakers:

April 10: Obama’s White House and Management Style: A Recipe for Success or Failure? With David B. Cohen, Professor of Political Science, University of Akron.

April 17: Is It Time For A New U.S. “Grand Strategy?” With Patrick C. Doherty, Co-director, Strategic Innovation Lab at Case Western Reserve University.

April 24: Avoiding Vaccinations: Reasons and Consequences With Irena L. Kenneley, Associate Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.