In February 1989, five months after the publication of The Satanic Verses, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against its author Salman Rushdie. It is often seen as a pivotal moment in shaping the landscape of contemporary Western society. So, 20 years on, what is the legacy of the most famous free speech controversy of modern times?

Two speakers will give lectures exploring the impact of the Rushdie affair on our perceptions of free speech, multiculturalism and Islam:

Kenan Malik, author, From Fatwa to Jihad: the Salman Rushdie affair and its legacy (Atlantic Books: 2009)
Tariq Modood MBE, professor of sociology, Bristol University; director, University Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship.

Claire Fox will then chair a panel debating the issues and the audience will also have their say in what promises to be a lively discussion.

Respondents include:

Stephen Law, Provost, Centre for Inquiry London
Amol Rajan, reporter at the Independent
Jo Glanville, editor, Index on Censorship
Maheila Malik, Reader in Law at King’s College London
Inayat Bunglawala, Muslim Council of Britain

This debate is presented by Institute of Ideas and Bishopsgate Institute, in association with Index on Censorship.

Tickets are £7 (£5 Concs.)

To book, please phone the booking line on 020 7392 9220 between 9.30am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Thursday, February 12, 2009, 7pm — 9pm

Bishopsgate Institute
230 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4QH
London