Noah Feldman talked about The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, published by Princeton University Press. His book is about the history and current popularity of the shari’a, a system of religious governance based on the Koran. In his remarks he addressed the popularity of the practice in the Arab world, arguing that the system promises an equal enforcement of the rule of law which subsequently protects people over autocratic government. Following his remarks he answered questions from the audience.

Noah Feldman is a professor of law at Harvard Law School. In 2003 he served as a senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority. Professor Feldman is also the author of After Jihad and What We Owe Iraq.