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Pepperdine Libraries Hosts “Islam Without Extremes” Author Mustafa Akyol

Pepperdine Libraries will host award-winning Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol for a lecture on Tuesday, Oct. 30, exploring his latest book, Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty. Akyol’s presentation will begin at 4 p.m. in the Kredge Reading Room of Payson Library, Malibu.  

Akyol's book has been called by its publishers (W.W. Norton) a "desperately needed intellectual basis for the reconcilability of Islam and religious, political, economic, and social freedoms." The work seeks to unite liberal ideas with respect for Islamic traditions.

The journalist and author graduated from the Istanbul Nişantaşı Anadolu Lisesi and went on to earn his masters in history from the same university, extending his thesis on Turkey's Kurdish question into a book titled, Kürt Sorununu Yeniden Düşünmek: Yanlış Giden Neydi, Bundan Sonra Nereye? (Rethinking The Kurdish Question: What Went Wrong, What Next?).

He authors regular columns for two Turkish dailies, Star and Hürriyet Daily News, where he has criticized both Islamic extremism and Turkish secularism. He has spoken about Islam, politics, and Turkish affairs at various universities, think-tanks, and at TED.

For more information, contact Ken LaZebnik at (310) 506-6785 or visit the Pepperdine Libraries website.