Newswise — “Tolerance and Violence in the Mind of God,” California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) semester-long speaker series exploring the connection between religion and violence, solidarity, peacebuilding, and combating terrorism, kicks off Feb. 7 with professor and author Mark Juergensmeyer.

Juergensmeyer is a professor of sociology and director of global and international studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. An expert in religious violence, conflict resolution and South Asian religion and politics, Juergensmeyer is the author of 22 books including, “Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence” (University of California Press, fourth edition forthcoming in 2017).

The book is based on interviews with religious activists around the world—including Jihadi activists, ISIS supporters, leaders of Hamas, and abortion clinic bombers in the United States. An earlier edition of the book was listed by the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times as “one the best nonfiction books of the year.”

Juergensmeyer is regularly featured as an expert on religion and violence on such television news networks as CNN; ABC News; NBC News; and Fox News.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. The lecture will be followed by a reception from 4:15 to 6 p.m.

Where: California State University, Dominguez Hills, University Library South Wing, 5th floor. The university is located at 1000 E Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747. Click here for directions and a printable campus map. Other lectures from internationally renowned speakers to take place during the “Tolerance and Violence in the Mind of God” series include:

March 2: “Justifying Violence in a Buddhist World”: Michael Jerryson, associate professor of religious studies at Youngstown State University.March 16: Larycia A. Hawkins, visiting faculty fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia.April 25: Najeeba Syeed, associate professor of Interreligious Education Active Faculty, Claremont Graduate University. May 4: Hon. Juan Zarate, former deputy assistant to the U.S. president and deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism (2005 to 2009), and senior national security analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.

About CSU Dominguez Hills -- With a student population of approximately 14,000, many who are first in their families to attend college, CSU Dominguez Hills provides high quality academic programs to students who aspire to succeed and thrive in a complex, global society. A leader in fostering a college-focused culture in the urban communities it serves, the university offers a proven path to opportunity and social equity and is a national laboratory and model for student access and success. For more information, visit www.csudh.edu.