Mustafa Akyol, journalist. March 2011 (17:08)
I. Pre-watching task.
Working in pairs answer the question:
Why do you think one and the same religion may have different rituals and
traditions in different countries?
II. For questions a-f decide whether the statements are true, false or no information is given (if false, explain why):
a) The tradition of seclusion of women predated Islam.
b) The speaker calls on pious, conservative Muslims to stick to their traditions because they are divinely mandated.
c) The Koran neither has punishment for apostasy or drinking nor condones
stoning.
d) Authoritarianism is inherent in the political culture of Muslim societies. e) Islam created the idea of the individual in the Middle East and saved man
from the collectivism of the tribe.
f) In the 18th century Islamic modernism was advanced by intellectuals and
statesmen, not just as an intellectual idea, but also as a political program.
III. Answer the comprehension questions:
1) What beliefs or misconceptions about cultural and political traditions of
Muslim societies does the author seek to dispel?
2) How does he account for the existing practice of dividing men and women
and cruel rituals in Muslim communities?
3) How did it happen that many Muslim countries tend to be authoritarian?
4) What led to the rise of Islamism?
5) What point does Mustafa Akyol seek to illustrate talking about the modern and contemporary history of Turkey?
IV. Identify the topic and the thesis of the talk given by Mustafa Akyol.
V. Give the gist/summary of the talk.