In this episode, Dr. Ewa Górska, the host of the show, sits down with a special guest, Professor Maurits Berger from Leiden University.
They talk about Professor Berger’s life story, exploring how a Dutchman came to study law and Arabic, and how his passion for the so-called Middle East developed. They also discuss the reasons why a European lawyer would choose to study Islamic law in the Middle East.
Listeners will gain valuable insights into the myths and misconceptions surrounding Islam and how they are woven into the fabric of European culture. Dr. Górska and Professor Berger also explore the challenges of researching and teaching about Islam in the West, particularly in Europe.
Prof.dr. Maurits S. Berger, LLM is a lawyer and Arabist. He is professor of Islam and the West and holds the Sultan of Oman Chair for Oriental Studies at Leiden University, and is a senior research associate with the Clingendael Institute for International Relations in The Hague. He has worked as a lawyer in Amsterdam, and as a researcher and journalist in Cairo and Damascus.
This episode was produced as part of the project Empathy: Let’s Empower, Participate and Teach Each Other to Hype Empathy. Challenging discourse about Islam and Muslims in Poland, funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the Commission are responsible for them.
Sound editing: www.tostanki.pl