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The 2014 International Summer Programme (ISP) will run from June 16-27 at the Simon Fraser University campus in Vancouver.  This year's theme focuses on mysticism and popular cultures in Muslim societies and cultures. Please check the Programme website for updates and more information!Expressions of Diversity: An Introduction to Muslim Cultures provides a window into the rich historical and contemporary diversities within Muslim societies and cultures.  Major international scholars will be brought together on the Vancouver campus of Simon Fraser University to provide instructional modules addressing various facets of the history, culture, and contemporary challenges of Muslims. In this stimulating environment, participants will be equipped with the resources and skills to understand the heritages, evolving experiences, contributions to world history, and contemporary relevance of Muslim peoples.Now in its seventh year, the internationally renowned programme is co-sponsored by the Centre for the Comparative Study of Muslim Societies and Cultures at Simon Fraser University and the Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations. It will provide a critical-historical understanding of Muslims within larger frameworks that recognise the importance of interdisciplinary and comparative approaches across regions, without reducing this understanding to issues solely related to the religion of Islam.This year the second week will provide a balanced and informative introduction to mysticism and popular culture in Muslim contexts, with a particular concern for intellectual, social, and cultural interpretations.  While the public is exposed to Islamic fundamentalism on an almost daily basis, the critical importance of mystical interpretations within plural Muslim societies and cultures has been rarely discussed.The Programme is designed by academics in Muslim Studies as a comprehensive and unbiased introduction to the various facets of the heritage and contemporary experiences of Muslim peoples.  It will be of benefit to a range of individuals, including professionals from intermediate and higher education, government, business, medical, NGO, and other sectors. Instructional modules are taught in small classroom settings by internationally renowned experts and augmented by a range of cultural activities such as film screenings, concerts and tours.  The location of the Summer Programme at Simon Fraser University will provide the participants with the opportunity to experience Vancouver’s vibrant multi-ethnic atmosphere.This Programme will be offered from Monday June 16 to Friday June 27, 2014, and is open to all participants over the age of eighteen. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded participants at the end of the Programme.For more information and to apply please click here.Or visit url: http://www.ccsmsc.sfu.ca/diversity_muslim_cultures&#160;