Not being particularly technosavvy, I was recently introduced to a virtual world called "Second Life." For an explanation, I turned to my technosavvy son-in-law, David Gosselin, aka Goose. Via a short phone call, Goose explained that "Second Life" was a free 3D virtual world where users socialize and connect. That info was enough for me to decide to pursue an interview with Josh Fouts, who along with Rita King, have been working on a project called "Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds."

Here is an excerpt from my intro to the interview -- which appeared yesterday at Religion Dispatches:

In these times of rockets and bombs exploding in Israel and the Gaza Strip, Islamophobia alive and well in the homeland, an uptick in anti-Semitism in Europe, a lively Rapture Index, and the economy still in a shambles, it may be worth your while to step away from these realities and enter conversations that haven't yet gotten as much attention and support as they may deserve.

Dozens in Egypt, Morocco, Italy, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, France and the United States gather to protest the recent attacks in the Gaza Strip; American University in Cairo launches a Virtual Newsroom with James Glassman, the US Undersecretary of State of Public Diplomacy, in conversation with eight Egyptian political bloggers who covered the 2008 US presidential campaign; people from around the world join in a pilgrimage to Mecca and witness a burning synagogue depicting Kristallnacht. These are some of the gatherings and events that Josh Fouts, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and Chief Global Strategist of Dancing Ink Productions, says are "example[s] of the rich, textured opportunity that 3D immersive spaces like Second Life offer for people to express their concerns about present day issues."

.... On January 29, Fouts and King will present their findings at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs in New York City. "Our findings are a trilogy consisting of policy recommendations for the Obama Administration; a broadcast quality `machinima' mini-documentary; and a graphic book (written in the style of a graphic novel)," Fouts noted in an e-mail interview during which we had the opportunity to talk extensively about the project.

More at ReligionDispatches,org:
http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/mediaculture/990/virtua l_islam%3A_peace%2C_love%2C_and_some_understanding/?page=entire