OU's Renaissance Project continues tonight with OU Professor Jill Irvine's Religion and Violence Dream Course from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cole Stephenson, president of the Renaissance Project Student Board, said Mark Juergensmeyer, director of Global and International Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara would speak at the event in Beaird Lounge in Oklahoma Memorial Union. He said Juergensmeyer will lecture on the global rise of religious violence, especially in Iraq.

"Mark Juergensmeyer is one of the foremost international scholars on religion and violence," Stephenson said. "He is the contact all of the media use."

The Renaissance Project began Sept. 8 with a presentation titled, "Symposium: Religion and Democracy in History and Law."

Since then, Robert Con Davis-Undiano, Honors College dean and Renaissance Project co-chairman, said students have shown a positive response to the heavy and sometimes controversial subject matter.

"There's no stretch to see the relevance of what's going on in society," said Davis-Undiano. "There's always the potential for disagreement, but I have only seen productive conversation."

The Renaissance Project Web site said the program is a yearlong effort between students, faculty, staff and administrators at OU to encourage discussion about controversial subjects that are especially crucial during this time. This year's focus is on religion and democracy, and the goal of the project is to enrich the culture of learning at OU.

Stephenson said Juergensmeyer has focused some of his studies on groups like Al-Qaida since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Stephenson said he thinks there will be a good turnout for tonight's lecture.

Su Zhu, chemical engineering junior, said he has seen flyers for the Renaissance Project's events but has been unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts so far.

"I don't have time, but they seem like they would be interesting," said Zhu.

Zhu said the issues the events focus on seem controversial. He said he thinks students are interested in the topics of religion and violence, and students with the time and interest will attend the events.

Davis-Undiano said he is looking forward to attending Juergensmeyer's lecture.

"I know that he is a big name in religious studies," Davis-Undiano said.

Davis-Undiano said the Renaissance Project is an unusual approach that he thinks will greatly benefit the students who attend.

He said he attributes the positive atmosphere that surrounds the project to the students at OU and those who have coordinated the events.

"It makes me very proud of the students and faculty at OU," said Davis-Undiano.
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