Tariq Ramadan, the renowned Muslum scholar who was expected to begin teaching about peace at Notre Dame this past fall but couldn’t because the government wouldn’t let him into the country, officially resigned his appointment in December.
In a letter informing the University of his decision he cited stress on him and his family because of the uncertainty of their position. Ramadan, who lives in Switzerland, was hired to teach in the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the classics department. But last August, after his furniture had already been shipped to South Bend, his visa was revoked by the State Department acting on a recommendation from the Homeland Security Administration. No specific information was provided to Ramadan or Notre Dame on the reasons for the revocation, except that it involved matters of “national security.”
Ramadan is considered highly influential among Muslims in Europe. He often writes and lectures about how Muslims can remain true to their religion and culture in the modern world.
In 2004 Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.