mbrn.org

British Muslims and health: addressing inequalities and promoting access
2018-09-12
In partnership with Bradford University and the Born in Bradford project.

Studying Muslim Britain: A Forum for Early Career Researchers
2018-07-18
In collaboration with the University of Manchester

Populist Politics and the Minority Voice: British Muslims, Extremisms and Inclusion
2018-04-19
In partnership with the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College London (KCL), University of London:

Event Description
A one-day Muslims in Britain Research Network (MBRN) conference organised in partnership with the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College London (KCL), University of London
19 April 2018
Themes include:

Muslim activism and populist politics;
New media, populism and the representation of Muslims and other minorities;
Recognising, opposing and offering alternatives to anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other extremisms;
British Muslims and national identity after Brexit;
Challenges to, and for, principles of tolerance, free speech and accommodation.

Plenary speakers
Narzanin Massoumi, University of Exeter & editor, What is Islamophobia?
Aaron Winter, University of East London
David Feldman, Director, Pears Institute for the Study of Anti-Semitism
Shenaz Bunglawala, Aziz Foundation
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Newham councillor and mayoral candidate
Keith Kahn-Harris, Leo Baeck College and Birkbeck, University of London
Ruth Sheldon, Birkbeck, University of London
Additional speakers
Reza Gholami, University of Birmingham
Khadijah Elshayyal, University of Edinburgh
Mirjam Aeschbach, University of Zurich
Shanon Shah, Critical Muslim
Ajmal Hussain, University of Manchester
Laura Jones, Cardiff University
Waqas Tufail, Leeds Beckett University
Gillian Kennedy, King’s College London
Kristin Henrard, ESL, Rotterdam
Ayesha Chowdhury, Leeds Becket University
Laurens de Rooij, University of Cape Town
Conference outline
Across Europe and North America, populist parties and leaders have surged in recent years, with figures such as Donald Trump and Andrej Babiš and parties such as UKIP and Alternative für Deutschland making significant electoral gains. Although different in important respects, these movements share certain themes, such as emphasis on national self-interest and hostility toward international co-operation, liberal political norms and established news media. In almost all cases this desire to reassert national identity has also involved renewed hostility toward ethnic and religious minorities – especially Jewish and Muslim minorities – as well as toward any frameworks of liberal accommodation that have allowed minorities to participate in public life on an equal footing. In the UK, this was evident in the referendum on European Union membership in 2016, which not only destabilised previously taken-for-granted political and legal frameworks but also contributed to a sustained rise in hate crime, anti-immigration rhetoric and Islamophobia.
This one-day conference on ‘Populist politics and the minority voice’ will discuss the effects of these changes on British Muslims, and how the concerns of British Muslims relate to those of other minority groups as well as wider debates about the future of liberal states, free speech and ‘fake news. Since at least the 1970s, British Muslims – as a group and alongside other minorities – have been involved in a struggle for rights, for media and political representation and for recognition. What might these struggles look like in the future? What is the future of British Muslim identity, post-Brexit? How might rights and legal accommodations be affected by withdrawal from the EU? How do concerns about rising Islamophobia intersect with concerns about resurgent anti-Semitism and far-right and populist movements? How should debates about Muslims and the media proceed in an era of ‘fake news’? How can standards of debate about minorities be preserved and what can higher education and Muslim institutions contribute?
Conference programme
09.30-10.15 – Registration and Networking
10.15-10.30 – Welcome, Alison Scott-Baumann (MBRN) and Daniel Nilsson DeHanas (King’s College London)
10.30-12.00 – Opening Plenary, ‘Recognising, Opposing and Offering Alternatives to Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and Other Extremisms’

Narzanin Massoumi, University of Exeter
Aaron Winter, University of East London
David Feldman, Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism, Birkbeck, University of London
Ruth Sheldon, Birkbeck, University of London

12.00-13.00 – Lunch
13.00-14.30 – Parallel Session 1A, ‘Transnational Law and Activism’

Gillian Kennedy, King’s College London, ‘Between a rock and a hard place’: British Egyptian Muslims and new explanations for Transnational Diaspora Mobilization since the 2011 Egyptian Uprising’
Ayesha Chowdhury and Razaq Raj, Leeds Beckett University, ‘21st Century Conflict: Incitement of Religious Discrimination, Freedom of Speech and Defamation of Religion’
Kristin Henrard, Erasmus School of Law, and Peter Vermeersch, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), ‘Nationalism with a ‘human’ face? European human rights judgments and the reinvention of nationalist politics’

13.00-14.30 – Parallel Session 1B, ‘Identity Politics’

Khadijah Elshayyal, University of Edinburgh, ‘Muslim Identity politics: Islam, activism and equality in Britain’
Shannon Shah, Critical Muslim, ‘Populist politics and gay Muslims: Scapegoats, pawns or rebels?’
Laura Jones, ‘Challenging Islamophobia and Fostering ‘Ambassadors’ for Islam – A Case Study of Open Iftar Events at a Mosque’

14.30-15.00 – Coffee / Networking
15.00-16.30 – Parallel Session 2A, ‘Media and Representation’

Laurens de Rooj, University of Cape Town, ‘Believing and Belonging: Media Engagement With Populism, Islam, And Muslims In Britain’
Mirjam Aeschbach, University of Zurich, ‘New Media, Representation, and Belonging: British Muslim Struggle for Recognition on Twitter’
Ajmal Hussain, University of Manchester, ‘The impossibility of Muslims in the public sphere’

15.00-16.30 – Parallel Session 2B, ‘Islamophobia and the Far-Right’

Waqas Tufail, Leeds Beckett University, ‘From ‘Grooming Gangs’ to Far-Right Populism and Racist Murder: Anti-Muslim Racism and Resistance in Neoliberal Britain’
Stephen H. Jones, Newman University and MBRN, ‘“That’s how Muslims are required to view the world”: Race, culture and belief in non-Muslims’ descriptions of Islam and science’
Reza Gholami, ‘Extremisms, Policy and Myths of ‘Muslim Education’

16.30-17.00 – Transfer / Set up / Networking
17.00-18.15 – Closing Plenary, ‘Minorities and British Identity after Brexit’

Shenaz Bunglawala, Aziz Foundation
Rokhsana Fiaz, Newham mayoral candidate
Keith Kahn-Harris, Leo Baeck College

18.15-18.30 – Closing Summary, Alison Scott-Baumann
CONFERENCE CLOSE

Exploring Contemporary Muslim Art, Culture and Heritage in Britain
2017-09-14
In association with the Dept of Theology & Religion at the University of Birmingham

This one-day Muslims in Britain Research Network (MBRN) conference will create space for critical dialogue and community exchange by bringing aspiring and established Muslim artists and cultural producers together with eminent scholars and researchers, policymakers and arts funders. The conference will provide a space to discuss, inform and engage through a program of lectures, presentations and panel discussions. Cultural experts will share insights into the key factors affecting Muslim arts and culture in Britain.
For further information and registration see: https://muslimartconference2017.eventbrite.co.uk
Provisional Schedule:
09.15-10.00 – Registration and Networking
10.00-10.15 – Welcome
Professor Alison Scott-Baumann (MBRN Chair)
Dr Stephen Jones (MBRN General Secretary)
Dr Katherine Brown (University of Birmingham)
10.15-11-15 – Opening Plenary
Muslim Art & Culture in Britain: the Challenges
Dr Carl Morris (University of Central Lancashire)
‘Muslim Art and Culture: the Challenge of Conceptualisation and Definition’
Dr Fatima Zahra Hassan (Educator & Artist)
Luqman Ali (Artistic Director, Khayaal Theatre)
Sara Choudhrey (Digital Islamic Art, PhD Candidate, University of Kent)
Chair: Mobeen Butt (MBRN/Muslim Museum)
11.30-12.45 – Parallel Session 1
Muslim Art, Identity & Activism
Dr William Barylo (Affiliate Researcher, EHESS (Paris))
‘Art as a Decolonial Narrative: Rumi’s Cave in London’
Shahnaz Akhter (PhD Candidate, Warwick University)
‘Englistan, The New British’
Isa Sulaiman Noorudeen (Co-Founder, Developing Our Traditions)
‘Art in Our Times: The Battle with a Community to which Art is Alien’
Fasial Hussain (Director, True Form Projects)
‘Suspect Objects, Suspect Subjects’
Chair: Mohammed Ali MBE (Soul City Arts)
Muslim Heritage & Exhibitions
Dr Nazneen Ahmed (Research Associate – UCL)
‘“A Special Space for Sisters”: Tracing the Creative Making of Muslim Women’s Space Using Creative Research Methods’
Dr Irfan Malik (Independent Researcher)
‘The First World War contribution of Dulmial Village, Pakistan’
Haroon Ravat (Director, Xtra Mile West Midlands)
‘Connected Histories: Muslims in the WWI’
Izzy Mohammed (Project Manager, Soul City Arts)
‘Knights of the Raj Heritage Project’
Neelam Hussain (Curator, Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham)
‘Heritage, Arts and Islamic Manuscripts’
Chair: Dr Jamil Sherif (East London Mosque Archives)
12.45-13.45 – Lunch / Prayers (Zohar 1.03pm) / Networking
13.45-14.45 – Performance or Tour
Sufi Music
Dome Rehearsal Room, Bramall Music Building
Ayesha Khan (PhD Candidate, Cardiff University)
‘Contemporary Sufi Expression amongst Young British Muslims’
Tas Bashir & Dr Scott Wilson (University of Birmingham)
Qawwali Research Unit & Demonstration of Sufi music using B.E.A.S.T.
Chair: Prof Alison Scott-Baumann (MBRN/SOAS)
Tour of Cadbury Research Library (max. capacity 20)
Cadbury Research Library, Muirhead Tower
Neelam Hussain (Curator, Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham)
Tour of the Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern Manuscripts
15.00-16.00 – Parallel Session 2
Islam and Music: Rap, Choirs & Song
Mirina Paananen (Student, University of Oxford)
‘The Mosque Choir: Engaging with Muslim Choral Heritage’
Anna Nayyar (Research Director, Vivacity – Peterborough Museum)
‘The Quivering Scale: Tradition and Fusion Over 3 Generations of Muslim Women’s Song’
Ismael Lea South (Project Manager, Black Muslims in British History)
‘A Brief Overview of the History and Influence of Black British Urban Artistic Expression of Islamic Urban Rap & Poetry’
Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmed (Cardiff University)
‘Grime and Islam’
Chair: Dr Sadek Hamid (MBRN)
Traditional, Minimalistic & Digital: Islamic Art & Calligraphy
Dr Fatima Zahra Hassan (Educator & Artist)
‘Art of the Book’
Razwan Ul-Haq – Artist & Author, Calligraphy, Fantasy & Sci-Fi
‘Is There Such a Thing as “Islamic” Art? A Practical Exposition’
Razwan Baig – Calligrapher and Collector of Islamic Art
‘The evolution of Islamic Calligraphy’
Funding Workshop (TBC)
16.15-17.15 – Parallel Session 3
Literature
Prof Peter Morey (University of Birmingham)
Dr Rula M. Al-Abdulrazak (University of East London)
‘Who’s the hero? Muslim Women in Arabic Literature’
Chair: Dr Amina Yaqin (SOAS)
[Additional speaker(s) TBC]
Weapons of Beauty, Rumi’s Circle
Saimma Dyer (Director, Chickpea Press)
Fatimah Ashrif (Founder, Rumi’s Circle)
Mohammed Nazam (Founder, Berakah Arts)
(Re)Creating Muslim Heritage in Britain (roundtable)
Dr Jamil Sherif (East London Mosque Archive)
Sadiya Ahmed (Founder, Everyday Muslim Heritage and Archive Initiative)
Izzy Mohammed (PhD Candidate, ‘Representation in Public Archives’, University of Birmingham)
Haroon Ravat (Connected Histories: Muslims in WWI)
Neelam Hussain (Curator, Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham)
Facilitator: Mobeen Butt (Director, Muslim Museum Initiative)
[Additional participants TBC]
17.30-18.45 – Closing Plenary – Practitioner Panel Discussion
Artists in Conversation: the Opportunities
Mohammed Ali MBE (Founder, Soul City Arts)
Saba Khan (CEO, ArtEase)
Teakster (Digital & Graphic Artist)
Salma Zulfiqar (Humanitarian Artist)
Hassan Vawda (Community Arts Programmer)
Chair/Reflection: Abid Hussain (Director, Arts Council England)

Islam and Peaceful Relations
2016-04-05
MBRN conference with the Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations, University of Coventry

Islam has been an important force for peace in the world historically and now. Peace is integral to Islamic theology and Muslim ethos, either as part of the individual’s personal experience or the wider context of maintaining peaceful relations in society. Yet terrorism undermines this discourse around peace and Islam. Recent attacks in France, Lebanon and Bangladesh have once again put Islam at the fore of debates around religiously-motivated conflict. Terrorists constitute a very small proportion of the global Muslim population and their ideology at best represents only a fringe, yet the narratives they propound have a dominating influence in shaping how Islam and Muslims are perceived. This has resulted in an increased focus on radicalisation and preventing violent extremism in policy, media discourse and some academic research around Islam and Muslims in Britain and beyond, subverting most other narratives of Islam and Muslims.
This conference will ‘radically’ depart from this trend. Instead it will focus its discussion about Islam on dialogue, peace and peaceful relations. In doing so it will uncover Islamic theological traditions around peacebuilding, historical precedents of peaceful existence with Muslims and contemporary lived experiences of intra-faith and inter-cultural dialogue, improved societal understanding of difference and peaceful relations. The conference will move the debate beyond simplistic ‘good and bad’, ‘us and them’ binaries to more complex discussions that consider the impact of diverse social factors including, gender, class, economy and geography.
The Faith and Peaceful Relations Research Group at CTPSR explores the role religion can play in achieving more peaceful and just societies. Faith can be a driver of peace, reconciliation and social justice, yet it can also be a source of violence, exclusion and misunderstanding. This conference will build on our research expertise and will explore the positive difference faith and belief, in this case Islam, can make in today’s world and how conflicts relating to Islam can be overcome.
Proposals for papers, panel discussions, workshops and poster presentations that focus on one, or more, of the above themes are invited from scholars, community activists and policy makers. For the purposes of the conference, we do not define the term ‘Islam and Peaceful Relations’, but rather envisage that contributions will broaden our understanding of what this can mean in contemporary plural society.
The conference will explore themes including:
– Theological and sociological constructs and definitions of Islam and peace
– Contemporary debates, including the role of the digital world
– Interfaith and Inter-cultural dialogue
– Intra-faith dialogue across diverse Muslim denominations and traditions
– Local ramifications of international events and initiatives
– Develop a narrative of Islam and peace
Abstracts & Proposals:
To submit a proposal:
– Please submit a title and abstract of no more than 300 words, indicating whether it is a paper / panel / workshop / poster presentation.
– Please include names and short biographies (150 words maximum) of the presenter/s, institutional affiliation/s (if relevant), and contact details.
– Proposals should be sent to the conference administrator Charlotte Martin via email
– Deadline: 5pm on Monday 15th February 2016.
– Successful participants will be notified by 29th February 2016.

Poverty and British Muslims: Identifying Problems and Proposing Solutions
2015-09-16
MBRN event with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

Introduction

The Muslims in Britain Research Network, together with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, held a joint event in Oxford on Wednesday 16th, September. The thematic focus of the day was ‘Poverty and British Muslims’, and featured a keynote presentation by Professor Anthony Heath, academic responses, and a practitioner panel. The event also included the MBRN AGM, a networking session, and a tour of the OCIS new building. The MBRN Committee were delighted with the event, which had 60 attendees, and very grateful to OCIS and in particular, Dr Asma Mustafa, for hosting.
Post-Event Resources
A blogpost about Professor Heath’s presentation at the MBRN/OCIS Poverty & British Muslims conference in Oxford can be accessed here (website of the Centre for Social Investigation, Nuffield College, University of Oxford).
An excerpt:
We came up with three theories. The first is transitory factors, which is to say that Muslim groups are more recent arrivals to the UK and as such may have lower levels of education (or foreign qualifications that aren’t recognised), and are less likely to be proficient in English – these factors directly influence labour market outcomes. A second explanation might be intrinsic factors to the religion, for example, particular family values may mean lower rates of women going to work and larger family sizes. The third explanatory theory is prejudice and discrimination.
A more in-depth article about Professor Heath’s research, co-authored by Prof Li (University of Manchester), can be found here (‘Review of the relationship between religion and poverty – an analysis for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’).
Professor Heath’s slides for his MBRN/OCIS presentation are available here.

MBRN panel at the 2015 British Association of Islamic Studies conference
2015-04-13 - 2015-04-15
MBRN panel at the 2015 British Association of Islamic Studies conference, University of London

BRAIS 2015
THE SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES
London, 13–15 April 2015
Senate House, University of London
In Collaboration with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and Human Rights Consortium, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Muslim Leadership in Britain
2015-04-01
MBRN conference with UCLan, ‘Muslim Leadershi p in Britain’

MBRN conference INSIDE OUT: Reflexivity and Methodology in Research with British Muslims
2014-09-10
MBRN conference with Cardiff University Islam-UK Centre, ‘INSIDE OUT: Reflexivity and Methodology in Research with British Muslims’

The latest MBRN event took place on 10th September 2014 at Cardiff University. It combined a conference exploring the themes of methodology and reflexivity, a roundtable research update and networking lunch, and keynote speech from Professor Ron Geaves, former Chair of MBRN. Many thanks go to Abdul-Azim Ahmed and Riyaz Timol of the Islam-UK Centre at Cardiff University, who organised the day.
The conference element comprised three panels over the course of the day: “Reflexivity in the Field”, “Belonging, Believing, Boundaries” and “Methodological Innovation and Reflexivity”. During the twelve presentations and subsequent panel Q&A, the audience was able to hear about a broad range of issues, problems, strategies and proposals relating to empirical research with British Muslims. Professor Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Chair of MBRN, praised the quality and sophistication of the accounts, and also noted how far the themes of debate within this discipline have developed since the early days of MBRN’s inception.
The standard MBRN research update took place during lunchtime, when the 40 audience members shared their research themes, progress and future plans to the rest of the group, before breaking for the networking lunch. Finally, Professor Ron Geaves, formerly of Liverpool Hope University but now based in Wales, gave a keynote speech on the theoretical problems of the insider/outsider dichotomy, bringing the day to a fitting end.

Showcasing Islamic Studies in the UK, University of Edinburgh
2014-04-10 - 2014-04-11
Three MBRN panels at the inaugural British Association of Islamic Studies conference ‘Showcasing Islamic Studies in the UK’, University of Edinburgh

MBRN meeting, Cambridge Muslim College
2013-09-18

MBRN meeting, Cardiff University Islam-UK Centre
2013-04-29, 2009-01-08, 2007-04-12

Framing Muslims - Reframing the Study of Muslim Diasporas in Britain
2012-09-15
Conference, ‘Reframing the study of Muslim diasporas in Britain’, in collaboration with the Framing Muslims project and SOAS Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies, SOAS

MBRN meeting, University of Edinburgh
2012-04-20

Joint event with the Islamic Studies Network, University of Leeds
2012-01-10

Multiculturalism and Muslim Leaderships in the UK: New Labour and After
2011-07-07
The conference, ‘Multiculturalism and Muslim Leaderships in the UK: New Labour and After’, University of Bristol

MBRN meeting, University of Liverpool
2011-02-10
MBRN meeting, University of Liverpool: 10 February 2011

Studying contemporary Islam in the UK
2010-01-23
Conference, ‘Studying contemporary Islam in the UK’, in collaboration with the BSA Sociology of Religion study group, Birkbeck College

Two MBRN panels at the British Association for the Study of Religions annual conference
2009-09-09
Two MBRN panels at the British Association for the Study of Religions annual conference, Bangor University

MBRN meeting, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
2009-04-02
