Berkley Center

What is the effect of blasphemy and apostasy laws on basic religious and political freedoms of Muslim-majority countries? What happens when Western governments and bodies like the United Nations begin passing similarly motivated restrictions on speech? These and other questions were addressed by Paul Marshall and Nina Shea as they discussed their book Silenced: How Apostasy and Blasphemy Codes are Choking Freedom Worldwide (2011). Looking at the experience of hundreds of victims, from political dissidents to journalists to artists and religious reformers, the authors examined the political effects of such laws, as well as non-governmental fatwas and vigilante intimidation, on Muslim societies. The event included a response by John Voll, professor of Islamic history and associate director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.