Assignment:
Author Ali Eteraz's, Children of the Dust
Q1. Consider the contemporary expressions of Confucianism and Islam reflect upon their relevance to your own and our collective societal experience. Consider how central teachings, principals and practices of these faith traditions could be introduced and implemented into your own life, experience and American culture so as to lend to your personal and our collective edification.
Q2. Consider the following: How journey is a common motif in spiritual writings-Eteraz's journey from childhood to adulthood and from Pakistan to the United States and how these journeys, in turn, convey Eteraz's evolving self-understanding, spiritual maturation, understanding of Islam.
Q3. How Islam/the Islamic ethos is expressed in contemporary Pakistani culture-including, when relevant/pertinent, consideration and assessment of central Islamic tenets operative in and experienced by the Eteraz's during their residency in contemporary Pakistan.
Q4. How Ali's American experiences impacted, informed, shaped and colored his spiritual journey and his understanding of his faith/religion. What lessons can we take from Eteraz's experiences that might contribute to a better social experience in our culture and to the improvement of ourselves as individuals as we undergo our own journeys and spiritual maturation, and as our own religious understandings and sensitivities evolve.
Q5. Consider the aspects, anecdotes and the experience of Eteraz journey through his religious faith, discuss how this may have struck you in some way-positively and/or negatively-as well as critically engage and assess why this was the case. This may lead you to gravitate on issues relevant to social analysis or cultural rites of passage or interpersonal relationships or religious toleration...Identify any points of particular interest to you and/or relevant to your major (sociology)