On February 4, former CSSD director and co-director of Religion and the Global Framing of Gender Violence (RGFGV) working group, Professor Lila Abu-Lughod delivered a lecture at the University of Alberta Visiting Lectureship in Human Rights series. Professor Abu-Lughod's talk entitled, "Is the War on Muslims a War on Rights?” questions the use of military invasions in the name of defending Muslim women’s rights and how proliferating security measures for surveillance and management of Muslims in the name of protecting human life have confronted those who value the ideals of human rights with troubling questions.

Lila Abu-Lughod is the Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor of Social Science at Columbia University where she teaches anthropology and gender studies. A leading voice in the debates about culture, gender, Islam, and global feminist politics, her award-winning books and articles have been translated into 14 languages.

The University of Alberta Visiting Lectureship in Human Rights is envisioned as one of the preeminent annual events held at the University. Individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution in the field of human rights and human rights protection are invited to deliver a major public lecture in Edmonton.