Dr. H. A. Hellyer gained international attention (and flak) when he compared Jedi monks to Sufi Islamic warriors in an article for CNN. He joins the show to discuss parallels between the Force and Islamic mysticism, why Star Wars is a cross-cultural touchstone, and the interaction between science fiction and Islam.

Dr. H. A. Hellyer is a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in DC, as well as a senior associate fellow at at the Royal United Services Institute in London.