2008

New Article: “Between Critical and Uncritical Understandings: a case study analyzing the claims of Islamophobia made in the context of the proposed ‘Super-Mosque’ in Dudley, England”

A quick post to announce the publication of another new article,  “Between Critical and Uncritical Understandings: A Case Study Analyzing the Claims of Islamophobia Made in the Context of the Proposed ‘Super-Mosque’ in Dudley, England”. As with a few of my other recent articles, this is ‘open access’ despite being published in the peer reviewed academic journal, Societies. If interested therefore, you can download a copy of the article for FREE here.

If you want to know what the article is about before downloading, I’ve pasted the abstract below:

Research highlights how usage and claims of Islamophobia tend to be simplistic and without nuance. Using a case study approach, this article considers the claims of Islamophobia made in relation to the proposed Dudley ‘super-mosque’. Setting out a narrative of the ‘super-mosque’, this article draws upon primary and secondary research to consider the claims and discourses of the major actors in the Dudley setting: the Dudley Muslim Association, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, the far-right especially the British National Party and the English Defence League, as well as individual political figures. Considering each in detail, this article seeks to evaluate the extent to which each of the actors and the claims of Islamophobia made against them might be valid. As well as exploring claims of Islamophobia within a ‘real’ environment, this article seeks to critically engage the opposition shown towards the mosque, the way in which the opposition campaigns were mobilized and engineered, and how the ideological meanings of Islamophobia was able to be readily utilized to validate and justify such opposition. In doing so, this article concludes that the claims and usage of Islamophobia was weak and that a more critical and nuanced usage of the term is urgently required.

Open access, it’s the future !!!

Redcrosse: “Personal Reflections on Englishness, St. George and the Flag”

Yesterday I was invited to speak about Englishness following a specially staged performance of ‘Redcrosse’. You can read more about the ‘Redcrosse’ project here but in essence, ‘Redcrosse’ is an attempt to reaffirm Englishness and St. George by the Birmingham-based Shakespearean expert Professor Ewan Fernie through an innovative creative work which is partly an original arts event, partly a groundbreaking religious service. 

After yesterday’s performance, a number of individuals were asked to give a talk which reflected on what it meant to them to be ‘English’. After the talks, an open Q&A session was held.

Reproduced below is a pretty accurate transcript of my talk:

“Thank you for inviting me to speak this evening.

As some of you will know, for the past 13 years or so I’ve been researching the phenomenon and manifestation of Islamophobia or anti-Muslim expressions and sentiments. Along with that, I’ve also explored issues relating to multiculturalism, diversity, Britishness and more importantly, the problems associated with these.

Of course my research is highly contentious, emotive and at times, brings out the worse in people. This has resulted in me regularly receiving abuse.

So when I was invited to speak, it immediately reminded me of my favourite piece of abuse from recent years. Shortly after my book was published, I received an email from an EDL supporter who asked me:

“How can a man who’s ethnically English hate his country so much?”

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News: “IASS Academics Showcase New Approaches to Using Social Media for Research, Teaching & Learning”

Just posting an article from the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Applied Social Studies website that involves me. The original news article can be viewed by clicking here.

IASS Academics Showcase New Approaches to Using Social Media for Research, Teaching & Learning

On Friday 19th April, two IASS academics – Tarsem Singh Cooner and Chris Allen – facilitated a Higher Education Academy (HEA) event at the University of Birmingham titled, ‘Changing the Learning Landscape – Practical uses of social media in social work and social policy teaching and research’.

Bringing together around 40 participants from different universities and practical settings who were involved in teaching, research or directly managing degree programmes in social work and social policy, the event provided participants with an opportunity to find out more about the role social media can play in enhancing the student and tutor experiences. Comprising two workshops – the first on research and dissemination, the second on teaching and learning – participants engaged in a series of practical hands-on activities and discussions as a means of introducing them to a range of new and innovative social media approaches and methods. In doing so participants explored the use of Storify in their research and dissemination as also closed Facebook groups for teaching and learning.

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Anti-Social Behaviour: new research report launched today

As a timely reminder that my research goes beyond Islamophobia, Muslims, religion etc into the realm of social problems more widely, I was today involved in the launch of a piece of research undertaken last year by a team I led at the University of Birmingham.

Working with Peabody Homes in London, the research sought to understand the views of residents and staff about anti-social behaviour (ASB) and crime on its estates. It hoped to identify best practice to improve intervention and develop better preventative measures.

Launched earlier today at the London Wellbeing Conference in the plush surroundings of Glaziers Hall on London Bridge, the research came up with almost 50 direct recommendations for tackling ASB in the housing sector.

Liz Chambers, head of community safety and support at Peabody said:

“We are very excited about the launch of this research. ASB can cause fear and distress to residents, affecting their health, wellbeing and home life — and there’s a widespread perception that housing providers aren’t doing enough to tackle it. We hope that the research will outline ways in which housing providers can refresh their approaches to ASB.”

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“Passing the Dinner Table Test Retrospective and Prospective Approaches to Tackling Islamophobia in Britain” (New Article)

A quick post to announce the publication of my new article, “Passing the Dinner Table Test Retrospective and Prospective Approaches to Tackling Islamophobia in Britain”. As it is ‘open access’, despite being published in a peer reviewed academic journal – SAGE Open – you can still download a pdf of the article for free. To do so, click here.

If you want to know what the article is about before downloading, I’ve pasted the abstract below:

“Through establishing the All Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia and Cross-Government Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred, the Coalition government has afforded significance to Islamophobia. Focusing on definition, evidence, and politics, this article considers British governmental policy approaches to tackling Islamophobia over the past 15 years. Tracing religiously based discrimination from the 1980s to the publication of the Runnymede Trust’s 1997 groundbreaking report into Islamophobia, this article explores how the New Labour government sought primarily to address Islamophobia through a broadening of the equalities framework. Against a backdrop of 9/11 and 7/7, a concurrent security and anti-terror agenda had detrimental impacts. Under the Coalition, there has been a marked change. Considering recent developments and initiatives, the Coalition has seemingly rejected Islamophobia as an issue of equalities preferring approaches more akin to tackling Anti-Semitism. In conclusion, definition, evidence, and politics are revisited to offer a prospective for future British governmental policy.”

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Thatcher, Tory benefactors, Millwall FC and the hijacking of the FA Cup

I’m not sure which has been most impacting on me this week: Millwall’s FA Cup Semi Final against Wigan Athletic FC on Saturday or the news on Monday of Margaret Thatcher’s death.

These two seemingly disparate events were forced together following the suggestion by Dave Whelan (Chairman, Wigan Athletic FC) that a minute’s silence and the wearing of black armbands should be observed at the FA Cup Semi Final on the basis that football “owed” it to Thatcher. Widely reported in the media, The Telegraph reported Whelan as saying:

“We owe Mrs Thatcher a minute’s silence…It is not my decision, it is for the FA to decide, but I would be in favour of wearing an armband out of respect to Mrs Thatcher. We have to say thank you very much for the services the former PM has given us. 

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