ZAKI BADAWI MEMORIAL LECTURE NO. 3: A SHARED PAST FOR A SHARED FUTURE

Martin Rose argues that history is as often a polemical weapon as a dispassionate exploration of the past. It can, at worst, support entrenched positions and inhibit understanding – but it also offers solutions to difficult questions of identity and belonging in today’s Europe. Seeing both Muslim and traditional European accounts of their own history as teleological and springing from their respective cultures, he argues for a thoughtful and open-minded approach to the writing of an intercultural history that explores much more fully the role of the Muslim East as a contributor to the ‘modern’ European mind; and at the same time acknowledges the shared, inescapable and potentially creative legacy of common imperial histories for today’s Europe.

By Martin Rose, British Council

Pbk: £2.95
ISBN: 978–1–56564–447–2
31 pages

Published: 2009

Available for free download here (pdf)

CITIZENSHIP, SECURITY & DEMOCRACY: MUSLIM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WEST

Selected Papers from the Citizenship, Security, and Democracy conference held on September 1–3, 2006, organised by the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS UK) and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

Edited by Dr. Wanda Krause


Hbk: £17.99
ISBN: 978–1–56564–444–1

Pbk: £12.99
ISBN: 978–1–56564–443–4

Hbk/Pbk: 308 pages

Published: October 2009

Citizenship, Security and Democracy: Muslim Engagement with the West provides greater analysis of and seeks solutions to the challenges of citizenship, security and democracy through fresh and more varied perspectives as is related to Islamic discourse and Muslim communities and their activism in the West. These concerns have never been more pressing than today. Democracy has been a global endeavour and concern, as in its ideal form, it gives promise to liberty, freedoms and rights. However, after especially 9/11 and 7/7, securitization has become a more immediate goal, making security the driving discourse today. But, both security and democracy are becoming ever less attainable in today’s climate of increased division and cleavages along ideological lines and Islamophobia – an acute problem for citizenship in humanity.

The papers explore issues around citizenship and identity of the Muslim diaspora. Given the backdrop to a growing political discourse on the Muslim ‘Other’, framed through the events of 9/11 and 7/7 and increased tension as a result of this discourse framing, the aim was to help discern causes to the major challenges facing governments and the safety, freedoms and dignity of individuals globally. This was attempted through the study of Islamic thought and on-the-ground case study research of Muslim societies and communities. This conference marks one of the major events to have been organised where such a large number of scholars, experts, and activists from a wide range of ideological positions and professional backgrounds come together in an ambitious attempt to resolve the most pressing issues at the turn of the 21st century.

Click here for CSD Press Release (pdf). Click here for publications page.

I would like to welcome you to the website of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) UK. Here you will find information about our organisation, our publications and our events and conferences.

AMSS (UK) is dedicated to advancing Muslim scholarship; the promotion of the Islamic position in various academic disciplines; to keep Muslim scholars informed about current conceptual, methodological and analytical developments and promote greater interdisciplinary co-operation, in an effort towards generating informed, critical and creative Islamic alternatives and opinions on topical and emerging issues of academic relevance to Muslims.

AMSS (UK) has introduced two prestigous awards, namely the Lifetime Achievement and Building Bridges awards, that are intended to recognise and highlight the achievement of individuals who have made a significant contribution to Islamic thought and promotion. We were honoured to award recent recipients: Dr Mustafa Ceric The Grand Mufti of Bosnia (pictured above); Dr Rowan Williams The Archbishop of Canterbury; and jointly award Recep Tayyip Erdogan The Prime Minister of Turkey and J.L. Rodriquez Zapatero The Prime Minister of Spain.

The AMSS UK is pleased to announce that its prestigious 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented to two recipients at the A Common Word Between Us and You: A Global Agenda for Change Conference, 6-8 October 2009 at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, USA. The Award was presented by Dr. Ibrahim Kalin, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey, and Shaikh Amr Khaled on behalf of Dr. Anas S. Al-Shaikh-Ali, CBE, Chair, AMSS UK. Click here for the Awards Press Release (pdf). Click here for awards page.

I would like to express my deep thanks to President DeGioia, Prince Ghazi, and Professor Esposito for their kind invitation to attend the conference. Although I was looking forward with keen interest to take part in such an important event it is unfortunate that my Visa, although already issued, has not yet been delivered with my passport even as late as Wednesday morning. I much regret therefore that I will not have the privilege to be with you.

The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre is a superb initiative which aims to build stronger bridges of understanding between the Muslim world and the West as well as between Islam and Christianity. It is groundbreaking that it has come together with A Common Word (the largest Muslim interfaith initiative towards Christians to date), to focus on global issues and initiatives for change and develop concrete proposals to advance global peace and security between Muslim and Western societies.

My colleagues at the AMSS UK Executive Committee join me in sending our warm congratulations to Professor Esposito and Professor Butterworth on receiving the AMSS Life Achievement Award 2009. We are honoured to present this Award as a tribute to two exceptional scholars who have shown great dedication and vision throughout their career.

I wish the Conference every success.

Dr. Anas S. Al-Shaikh-Ali, CBE