By TCN News,
Aligarh: Dr. Tariq Islam, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, has been invited to present a paper at the 8th Annual Conference of the Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (CRONEM), an international multidisciplinary Conference, organized jointly by the University of Surrey, Migration Research Unit and University College, London on “The Future of Multiculturalism:
Structures, Integration Policies and Practices” to be held from 26 – 27 June 2012, at the University of Surrey, UK.
Dr. Tariq Islam will present a paper in the 2nd Technical Session on the first day of the Conference titled ‘Political Islam: Multinational Identity?’ Dr. Islam has argued in his paper that multiculturalism fails primarily because it treats the ‘other’ of different culture as homogeneity and therefore only hears and addresses only the loudest voices, whereas if the multiplicity of identities in any religious or ethnic community are recognized, the changed perspective will result in more coherent and effective policies.
Political Islam, he argues, can only be understood through the concept of ‘ummah’, a non-statist multinational identity, which holds the thesis of multiple identities of the Muslims and not just the media created stereotype image of the Muslim Cleric. He has further argued that following Habermas post-secularism requires the bringing into the public realm religious understanding thereby initiating a concrete dialogue that will enhance a multicultural understanding.
The conference seeks to provide an opportunity for interdisciplinary debate on the different forms of multiculturalism identifiable in Europe and beyond such as critiques of multiculturalism; alternative policy approaches – including intercultural dialogue – for the management of cultural diversity issues; the intertwining of security and securitisation issues and the debate on multiculturalism; sources of radicalisation, political violence and terrorism; the relationship between multiculturalism, social exclusion, democratic citizenship and political participation; the impact of international policy networks on national “integration” policies; comparative perspectives on states’ experiences of multiculturalism; political challenges to multiculturalism, migrant communities and intercultural dialogue; responses to migration: legal, economic and political and current migration trends and policy approaches.
Among other academic luminaries, Professor Mary Hickman, London Metropolitan University, will deliver the Keynote Address of the Conference and Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh, a leading voice on multiculturalism, will Chair a panel of discussion on ‘The ‘Retreat’ of Multiculturalism?’, informed Zeeshan Ahmad, Assistant Public Relations Officer, AMU.