An internationally renowned religion scholar and author and a Nobel-prize winning economist will speak at Boise State University during the upcoming school year as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series.

Karen Armstrong, author of “A History of God,” “Islam,” the memoir “The Spiral Staircase,” and a number of other well-received books on religious affairs, will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 in the Student Union Jordan Ballroom.

Armstrong’s free lecture, “The Battle for God,” is drawn from her book by the same name. She will discuss the rise of fundamentalist movements in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, including the role a technologically driven world with liberal Western values plays in exacerbating conflicts.

Armstrong has been described as one of the most provocative, original and inclusive thinkers on the role of religion in the modern world. A former Roman Catholic nun, she has been lauded as a bridge builder who promotes understanding among different faiths.

As a prelude to Armstrong’s lecture on Oct. 4, a discussion of her acclaimed memoir, “The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness,” will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Log Cabin Literary Center, 801 South Capitol Blvd. The public is invited to the free event, led by faculty from Boise State’s Department of English.

On April 12, 2006, Joseph Stiglitz will speak on “The Economics of Information.” He is the former chief economist for the World Bank and the 2001 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics.

The author of “The Roaring Nineties” and other books, Stiglitz is credited with helping create a new branch of economics that explores what happens to world markets when information is not uniformly available or is interpreted in different ways. His work has helped explain the circumstances in which markets do not work well and how selective government intervention can help improve their performance.

Stiglitz’s free lecture is also at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Jordan Ballroom. No tickets are being issued for either Armstrong’s or Stiglitz’s lectures; seating is limited and is available on a first-come basis.