Bridging Islam, social media and Covid-19 in a unique and revealing way, the College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) will host #IslamGenZ, a two-day panel discussion and debate on “Islam and Social Media” and “Islam and Covid-19” from tomorrow (Tuesday).
The event is open to the public in a live virtual format, encouraging the participation of avid social media users and influencers within the global Muslim community. CIS has lined up a panel of leading thinkers and scholars to lead the discussions, with Amal Kassir, international award-winning Syrian-American poet; Dr Craig Considine, prolific author, scholar and interfaith activist based at the Department of Sociology at Rice University; Dr Heidi Campbell, professor of Communications, Texas A&M University; and Dr Khaled Beydoun, professor of Law at Wayne State University Law School and noted author of American Islamophobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear. The event will feature two panel discussions to contemplate the use of social media by Muslim communities, with special attention on the effect of social media on Muslim youth. The debate will be framed by two compelling questions: “How is social media influencing young Muslims today?” and “What has been the role of Muslims on social media amidst Covid-19?” Dr Evren Tok, associate professor and assistant dean of innovation and community engagement, HBKU, said, “As our extraordinary lineup of speakers confirms, we are encouraging a diverse audience to add their voices to our discussions over the two days. Given the current challenges, especially while social media continues to become an integral part of our lives, we are duty bound as an academic institution to turn a critical eye to what influence it is having on young Muslims and in turn the role they are playing.” Bayan Khaled, research fellow, added, “The use of social media is prominent now more than ever, therefore the event reflects our steadfast efforts at CIS to encourage our youth to play an active and positive role in society through the use of the continuously developing social media platforms that exist today.”
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