The report from the AHRC funded ‘Re/presenting Narratives of Islam on Campus’ research has been released.

This was a collaboration between Professor Alison Scott-Baumann (Principal Investigator) and Dr Aisha Phoenix (SOAS University of London), Professor Mathew Guest (Durham), Dr Shuruq Naguib (Lancaster) and Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor at Coventry University.

This AHRC-funded research project provides the first nationwide picture of how Islam is experienced, perceived and interacted with on university campuses in the UK. It shows how the UK Government’s counterterrorism Prevent strategy has reinforced negative stereotypes of Muslims and has encouraged ‘a culture of mutual suspicion and surveillance’ on university campuses.

Based on findings from a national survey of 2,022 students across 132 UK universities and interviews and focus groups conducted with 253 staff and students at six higher education institutions, it recommends that universities take an active role in building peaceful relations on campus and beyond.

This can be achieved through active challenge of prejudice and empowering Muslim and all marginal voices. As discussed in our forthcoming book, suspicion and negative stereotypes need to be replaced with shared, equal and just understandings of who we all are.

Read the full report here.

Source: isa-rc22.org

The aim of the network will be:

– To encourage and promote the multi-disciplinary study of Islam and Muslims in Britain.
– To encourage dialogue and co-operation between academics, scholars and professionals on the topic of Islam and Muslims in Britain.
– To facilitate meetings and conferences on the topic of Islam and Muslims in Britain.

The objective of the MBRN shall be pursued by the usual means of scholarly activity such as the arrangement of conferences, symposia or colloquia, the encouragement of scholarly publications, the exchange of information through electronic or other means, and such other activities as the MBRN or its elected officers shall from time to time determine.

The MBRN will not be directly affiliated with any university or institution.

Membership

Membership of the MBRN shall be open to all students, researchers and others who share its objective, principally:

Research active students, academics and professionals involved in the study of Islam and Muslims in Britain practising professionals who will benefit from being involved and kept up to date with regards to research on Islam and Muslims in Britain.

MBRN Committee

The MBRN executive committee comprises the following individuals, whose appointments were ratified in March 2017.

• Chair: Professor Alison Scott-Baumann (SOAS)
Alison is Professor of Society and Belief at the Centre of Islamic Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

• General Secretary: Dr Stephen H. Jones (Newman University)
Stephen is a Research Fellow at Newman University, Birmingham, and Associate Director of the Centre for Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society.

Conferences

Last events organized by MBRN:

• The Future of British Muslim Studies (24 April 2019)
• British Muslims and health: addressing inequalities and promoting access (12 September 2018)
• Studying Muslim Britain: A Forum for Early Career Researchers (18 July 2018)
• Populist Politics and the Minority Voice: British Muslims, Extremisms and Inclusion (19 April 2018)
• Exploring Contemporary Muslim Art, Culture and Heritage in Britain (14 September 2017)

Website: http://www.mbrn.org.uk