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A group of Islamic and legal scholars from across the United States will meet in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Nov. 5, to discuss Islamic law as it applies in Muslim-majority nations dealing with mass atrocities, political violence and prolonged conflict.

The will focus on Shari’a, the Islamic system of law and ethical codes derived from the Qur’an. The workshop is particularly timely since many of the world’s destabilizing conflicts currently take place in Muslim-majority countries.

The workshop is expected to receive international interest from scholars, human rights activists, legal experts and government officials working to reduce conflict in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Internationally renowned panelists include:

• M. Cherif Bassiouni, distinguished research professor of law emeritus at DePaul University College of Law and president emeritus of the law school’s International Human Rights Law Institute;
• David Johnson, assistant secretary of state, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs;
• Jan Michiel Otto, professor of law and governance in developing countries and director of the Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance, and Development at Leiden University in the Netherlands;
• Colm Campbell, Transitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland;
• Niaz Shah, University of Hull Law School, United Kingdom; and
• William C. Banks, director of Institute for National Security & Counterterrorism (INSCT) in SU’s College of Law and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The invitation-only workshop will be held at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. More information about the workshop is available by visiting , or by contacting Corrine Zoli at (315) 443-5708, or cbzoli@syr.edu.