Science Literacy, Attitudes, and Culture in the Muslim World: What Do We Know?

About this talk

Is there a culture of science in the Muslim World today? Did such a culture and conducive environment ever exist in the lands comprising the Muslim World in the Past? What is meant by scientific literacy, attitudes, and culture? Why are these important and what can be done to inculcate these? This is has been the focus of a multi-year Task Force on the Culture of Science in the Muslim World which brought together experts from around the Muslim World to talk about this very important, and often neglected, aspect of scientific development in the Muslim World today. The session talks about the preliminary results and findings that will make up the soon to be released report of the Task Force. It is important for journalists, but also policymakers, academics, and students to understand and appreciate what makes science tick in the west and a major part of this may have to do a general societal attitude towards science which needs to be unpacked and understood.