By Nicole Findlay
Scripture from the Bible, philosophy, the exploits of conquering heros, combined with commentary on modern political ideologies and the dogma pitting East against West provided Bachelor of Humanities students with a glimpse of what’s to come.
Journalist, filmmaker and author Nelofar Pazira spoke to first-year B.Hum students at the College’s annual inauguration ceremony. In her lecture Through a glass darkly: Looking at the Muslim World, Pazira wove together the past and present, providing context for the philosophies and dogmas that have emerged from the East and West. Citing scripture from the King James translation of the Bible, theories espoused by Francis Bacon, philosophies of Plato, the impact of European colonialism in the East, and current Western occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq Pazira gently cautioned students to think and analyze beyond the knowledge they will acquire through their studies.
Intellectual advancement can be a double-edged sword according to Pazira, in that the feelings of accomplishment one derives from knowledge can also foster a sense of superiority. Through this lens, other traditions and cultures can be disregarded as inferior. A result of this world view is the obligation the West has felt to civilize or bring democracy to cultures they do not fully understand.
Pazira’s question everything message must have struck a chord. The question and answer period riveted students, keeping them in their seats long after the inauguration program had ended.