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Uzma Jalaluddin is a recipient of an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from ��Ӱֱ��, and she will be giving a talk in Watson Hall 517 at 2:00pm on November 3rd. Please join us!

Uzma is a high school teacher, former Toronto Star columnist, and an internationally acclaimed author of four novels, a co-authored novel, and a play. Known for giving classic romantic comedies a contemporary Muslim twist, she has also recently forayed into the mystery genre with Detective Aunty (2025). Ayesha at Last (2019) is a rewriting of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set in a close-knit Muslim community in Toronto, and Much Ado about Nada (2022) is an adaptation of Austen’s Persuasion. Inspired by the 1998 Hollywood romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, Hana Khan Carries On portrays rival halal restaurants, family responsibilities, and community dynamics. According to The Kirkus Review, “novelist Jalaluddin’s first mystery is beyond satisfying, from Sherlock-style deductive reasoning to Christie-esque dinner parties, but infused with the flavors of samosa, biryani, and raita.” With her trademark humour, Jalaluddin thus tackles issues like identity and cultural expectations, gender roles, and anti-Muslim racism.