UNIQUE NEW MASTERS STUDY OF ISLAM

11:12 Fri 27 Jun 2008

Length 10 minutes, 29 seconds

The study of Islam in society is a priority for many social scientists at the University of Warwick and in that context for the last year the University of Warwick has been piloting a new master’s level degree in Islam In Contemporary Societies.  The new multidisciplinary taught MA is run by the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations in the School of Health and Social Studies ( SHSS) and involves leading researchers from the University of Warwick’s School of Law, Department of Politics and International Studies, and the University’s Language Centre.

A full podcast interview of Maqsood Ahmed’s experience of the degree can be found here. Maqsood is a part time student in this programme and senior Civil Service adviser of the Government’s Department of Communities and Local Government.

Download (MP3 format, 10:29, 10MB)

The Experience of Muslims in British and French Prisons

13:13 Thu 04 Jan 2007

Length: 21 minutes

According to new research there is a significant difference in the way that the British and French prison systems treat Muslim prisoners. Taking the prison experience as a microcosm of both French and British society, Professor Joly explores the issues of national identity, multiculturalism and ethnic or regligous tensions within both countries and how the state has responded to the challenges. Touching on the recent riots across France, Professor Joly raises serious concers about the ability of the French Government to respond effectively to the crisis and questions some of the fundamental assumptions about what it is to be French.

Professor Danièle Joly is a Director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations at the University of Warwick and has published on Muslim populations in Britain, on ethnic relations and on refugees.

Download (MP3 format, 21:20, 20 MB)

A Religious and Cultural Clash or a Tribal Showdown - Analysing the Danish Cartoons Crisis

13:13 Thu 04 Jan 2007

Length: 25 minutes

The publication of cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten has triggered violent protests across the world. The cartoons, which have been reprinted in a number of European papers, have angered Muslims and focussed attention on the fragile relationships between Islamic countries and the West.

Do the cartoons represent a fundamental difference in the religious and cultural values of the two communities or is the current crisis the latest manifestation of a more earthly tribalism between national and regional interests? Does our shared cultural and philosophical heritage mean we actually have more in common than might be immediately apparant?

Dr. Hisham Hellyer is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick. After completing degrees in Law and International Political Economy, he completed a doctoral study of the European Union and its Muslim populations that was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK), and due to be published in 2006 under the title of "The European 'Other'". A research consultant and social policy analyst, Dr Hellyer is presently engaged in research on contemporary Muslim communities.