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Urban Unrest or Riot? Summer 2011 in England and 2001 in Bradford

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Where: Star Education Centre, 116 Hyde Road, M12 5AR, Manchester
Time: 18:00
With: Dr Joanne Massey, Manchester Metropolitan University

Abstract

The recent urban unrest over the summer of 2011 has sparked much debate amongst academics and social commentators. There have been questions raised about why these events occurred, what was the aim of them? Were they just mindless attacks or politically motivated acts? The general consensus appears to be that these were essentially non-political events, represented in the media and responded to by government as criminal acts. This paper will look at the urban unrest (or as the Home Office term it ‘Disorder Events’) of August 2011 in comparison to the Bradford Riot of 2001. Arguably there is evidence to indicate that events in Bradford were only labelled as a riot by the media and local people did not experience them in the same way (Massey and Singh 2012). Here we will examine whether the events of Summer 2011 were in fact ‘riots’ or criminal.

Biography of Joanne Massey

Dr Joanne Massey is a Senior Lecturer in Cultural Criminology in the Department of Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University. She worked at Manchester Institute for Popular Culture from 1999- 2005 as a research assistant. Her PhD focused on the rebuilding of Manchester city centre after the 1996 bombing. Her research interests include young people, public space, urban regeneration and community safety. Her most recent publication is Massey, J (2011) ‘Commodification, Control and Civic Space: Findings from Manchester, UK in Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal, Vol. 13, Issue. 3, August 2011 and she co-authored a chapter titled Moral Panic and Media Representation: The Bradford Riots in Morgan, G and Poynting, S (eds.) Global Phobia: Islam and Moral Panics, Ashgate, due for publication in January 2012.

State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750

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Where: Hilton Hotel, 303 Deansgate Manchester M3 4LQ

Biography

Dr. Rhoads Murphey is a Reader in Ottoman Studies at the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham. He was born in Boston, MA, in the United States. Dr Murphey completed his MA and doctoral degree at Chicago University. He has been a member on a number of research committees, including TSA (Turkish Studies Association) between 1989-1991 and TASG (Turkish Area Studies Group). He has been publishing books on his research area of Ottoman Studies since 1978. His latest publication is on Ottoman Historians and Historiography (Istanbul: Eren Yayincilik) which came out this year, 2010.

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State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750 State, Community and Individual: The Defining of Mutual Rights and Responsibilities in the Early Ottoman Empire, ca. 1450 to ca. 1750

Learning to Live With Differences: The Example of l’Arche

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Where: Education Dialogue Charity, 116 Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 5AR

Abstract

L’Arche, began in 1964 when Jean Vanier, an ex-naval officer and philosophy lecturer, decided to “do something” for people with intellectual disabilities. Inspired by faith he invited two men to leave the loneliness and frustration of a large institution and come to live with him in a house in Trosly-Breuil, near Paris. This little community grew and new communities grew up, first in France and then abroad. There are now 131 communities in more than 30 continents. People of different abilities, backgrounds and religions live, work learn and celebrate together, seeking to build communities that are sources of life and hope for all their members and for the wider community.

This paper will look at the challenge of difference in community life and at how l’Arche rises to this challenge. I will explore l’Arche’s approach to living with differences of intellectual ability and the understanding of the human person that informs this approach. I will then take a look at how the same principles are applied to living with religious difference in l’Arche communities, notably in Canada and India. As well as referring to personal experience I will draw on the writings of Jean Vanier and of other writers who have been involved with or intrigued by l’Arche.

Biography

Before starting her degree Frances spent a year living and working with adults with intellectual disabilities in a l’Arche community in France. This was a wonderful and profoundly educational experience for her and she has often returned to the community to visit and help out. She studied Philosophy and Theology at Oxford University and graduated with 1st class honours in 2008. Having become increasingly interested in understanding other religions and interfaith relations she went on to a Masters degree in the Study of Religions at Oxford, opting for papers on Islam and Judaism. She is lucky enough to be continuing her education as an intern at the Dialogue Society in London, working on DIY Dialogue Manuals and a seminar series on making dialogue effective. She plans to train as an RE teacher and will be starting a PGCE in September 2010, God willing.

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Learning to Live With Differences: The Example of l’Arche by Frances Sleap Learning to Live With Differences: The Example of l’Arche by Frances Sleap Learning to Live With Differences: The Example of l’Arche by Frances Sleap Learning to Live With Differences: The Example of l’Arche by Frances Sleap

Conservative Party's Ethos and Policies

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Abstract

Councilor Faraz Bhatti visited The Star Education Centre as a guest of the Turkish Community in Manchester. Councillor Faraz explained to Turkish Community members the ethos and policies of the Conservative Party.

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With Councilor Faraz Bhatti With Councilor Faraz Bhatti With Councilor Faraz Bhatti With Councilor Faraz Bhatti With Councilor Faraz Bhatti

Understanding Christianity

Discussion Forums

By Rev. Canon Phil Rawlings from St. Bride’s Church. By Launching this workshop, Dialogue Society North intended to help Muslims and non Muslims understand the deeper meaning and inner spirit which characterises Christianity today. During the course of the workshop we looked at such topics as:

  • Scripture and tradition
  • Belief and theology
  • Prayer and practice
  • Ethics and social life

The questions which we will explore include:

  • Who is Jesus for Christians?
  • What has God revealed?
  • How do Christians understand the human condition?
  • What is meant by Trinity?
  • How do Christians pray?
  • What do Christians think about Islam?

The next session will be held on 20 June 2009

Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures

Discussion Forums

Where: Star Education Centre, 116 Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 5AR

Abstract

When Christianity spread into Europe it was promoted by the Roman State, and there was immediate dispute about which power – church or state- was superior. When the Roman state disappeared there remained tension between secular and sacred power. Christianity moulded itself to the social hierarchy wherever it spread, but at the same time it was supposed to treat all people as spiritual equals. Nevertheless, those with power needed the backing of the supernatural. How they tried to achieve this, and how they sought to increase their chances of a heavenly eternity, is the subject of this discussion. We can see how it was possible for ruling families to access sanctity, and how they used that sanctity to legitimate their power. Charlemagne is the supreme example of such a ruler, and under his rule Europe comes close to becoming a theocracy. But the church always fought back, seeking spiritual purity. Eventually it won the argument and kept the sacred separate from the secular, but the ultimate consequence of this was the rebellion against the Catholic church that we know as the Reformation. The problem of reconciling the sacred and the secular is one that Christianity has never solved. There are very interesting comparisons and contrasts with Islam here.

Paul Fouracre, Head of History, The University of Manchester.

Research specialism: The Early Middle Ages, culture, society, religion, economy.

Published works include:

  • W. Davies and P. Fouracre (eds.), The Settlement of Disputes in the Early Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1986)
  • W. Davies and P. Fouracre (eds.), Property and Power in the Early Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1995)
  • P. Fouracre and R. Gerberding, Late Merovingian France. History and Hagiography (Manchester, 1996),
  • P. Fouracre, The Age of Charles Martel (London, 2000)
  • P. Fouracre (ed.) The New Cambridge Medieval History volume 1 (Cambridge, 2005)
  • W. Davies and P. Fouracre (eds.) The Languages of Gift in the Early Middle Ages (Cambridge , 2010)
Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre Relationship Between the Secular and the Sacred in Medieval Cultures by Prof Paul Fouracre

Equality and Diversity in Education

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Where: Hilton Hotel, 303 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LQ

Abstract

In his talk this evening Robin will outline the practical implications for schools and local authorities of the Equality Act 2010, bearing in mind not only the letter of the law but also its spirit and the principles underlying it. At first sight, the requirements may seem rather overwhelming, for they involve a wide range of strands and concerns, including age, disability, ethnicity and race, gender, gender identity and reassignment, pregnancy, religion and belief, and sexual identity and orientation. The talk will therefore concentrate on how the requirements can be made manageable, and be part of overall programmes of educational improvement. It will refer in particular at one stage to the equality strand concerned with religion and belief. There is background information about Insted’s perspective on equalities in education at http://www.insted.co.uk/equalities.html.

Biography

Robin Richardson is a director of the Insted consultancy (www.insted.co.uk). He has worked in education as a teacher, adviser and chief inspector and in the equalities field as director of the Runnymede Trust. He is the author or editor of many publications, including Daring to be a Teacher (1990) and In Praise of Teachers (2002). More recently he is the co-author with Berenice Miles of Racist Incidents and Bullying in Schools: how to prevent them and how to respond when they happen, published in 2008. His two most recent publications are Holding Together: equalities, difference and cohesion and Young, Muslim and Citizen: identity, empowerment and change, both in 2009. Over the last three years he has worked frequently for the Department for Education and its predecessors as a consultant on equality impact assessments.

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Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson Equality and Diversity in Education by Robin Richardson

The Labour Market Position of Minority Ethnic Groups in Britain

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Where: Star Education Centre, 116 Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 5AR

Abstract

There has been a lot of research on minority ethnic groups in Britain since the mid 1990s but most of the studies are piece-meal unable to give us a comprehensive picture of the minority ethnic disadvantage, the inter-group variations, and the possible progress they are making in the socio-economic life of Britain. I have been conducting fairly systematic research on minority ethnic integration in Britain using the most authoritative data sources available such as the General Household Survey (1972-2005), the Labour Force Survey (1983-2005), the Citizenship Survey (2001-9), and the 3% Samples of Anonymised Records from the 1991 and the 2001 Censuses of the Population in Britain in conjunction with the 6% Integrated Public Use series from the US Censuses of the Population in 1990 and 2000. My analysis focuses on employment, social class, labour market earnings, social mobility, second-generation educational and occupational attainment, Britain-US comparisons, social capital and philanthropy and racial discrimination. In this talk, I will give a brief summary of the key research findings in these areas and discuss some policy implications.

Biography

Yaojun Li is Professor of Sociology at the Institute for Social Change, Manchester University, UK. His research interests are in social mobility and social stratification, social capital, and labour market position of minority ethnic groups in Britain and the US. He has published widely in these areas in top sociology journals and in book chapters. He has conducted many research projects with colleagues funded by various research councils and government departments totalling over 3 million pounds.

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The Labour Market Position of Minority Ethnic Groups in Britain by Prof Yaojun Lii The Labour Market Position of Minority Ethnic Groups in Britain by Prof Yaojun Lii The Labour Market Position of Minority Ethnic Groups in Britain by Prof Yaojun Lii

Labour Party's Ethos and Policies

Discussion Forums

On Saturday 17 April, Labour Party representatives in Manchester gathered with the Turkish community to talk about the Labour Party’s policies, and to answer questions regarding political participation and the upcoming elections. Labour Party candidates for Central Manchester and for Manchester City Council, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan, Cllrs Mavis Smitheman and Bernard Priest talked about the ethos of the Labour Party and its policies since its conception. They also answered questions concerning racism, national and foreign policy, social cohesion and proactive citizenship.

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Labour Party's Ethos and Policies Labour Party's Ethos and Policies Labour Party's Ethos and Policies

Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments

Discussion Forums

Where: Star Education Centre, 116 Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 5AR

Abstract

A well-established finding from research is that children living in poverty do less well on average on tests of educational attainment than children who live in more advantaged circumstances. The talk will review some of the explanations proposed for this finding, drawing on recent work that uses the UK’s rich heritage of longitudinal studies. One implication of the research is that the desirable action of taking families out of poverty should raise attainment; the talk will draw on the speaker’s own work to discuss how far this proposition is supported.

Biography

Ian Plewis joined the University of Manchester as Professor of Social Statistics in September 2007 having previously worked at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, University of London since 1999 where he was Professor of Longitudinal Research Methods in Education and where he now holds a visiting professorship. He has been Chair of the Social Statistics Section of the Royal Statistical Society and is a Fellow of the Centre for Multilevel Modelling, University of Bristol.

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Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments by Prof Ian Plewis Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments by Prof Ian Plewis Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments by Prof Ian Plewis Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments by Prof Ian Plewis Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments by Prof Ian Plewis Poverty, Income and Children's Educational Attainments by Prof Ian Plewis

Inequalities in Education

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Where: Star Education Centre, 116 Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 5AR

Abstract

In this presentation, I will consider the processes by which social class advantages and disadvantages are reproduced over time and space. I will draw on a theory which defines class in terms of economic, cultural and social resources. Drawing on my previous research in the UK (and the US), I will examine how middle-class parents mobilise these three types of resources to ensure their children enjoy educational and occupational success. In this way, such parents ensure their children remain in the middle class rather than fall into lower working-class positions. At the same time, I will emphasise that how parents help their children do well in school and work is not easy or straightforward. It is not inevitable that advantaged children do well and this is why there is much public anxiety and `fear of falling'. I will draw on recent research in Manchester which extends this interest in social stability and social mobility to and explores how is advantaged working-class parents help their children do as well as possible in the education system and then in the labour market.

Biography

Fiona Devine is a Professor of Sociology and Head of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Manchester. Her research interests focus on social stability and social mobility with specific reference to social class and educational inequalities in the UK and the US. She is the author of a number of books including Affluent Workers Revisited (1992), Social Class in America and Britain (1997) and Class Practices: How Parents Help Their Children Get Good Jobs (2004). She was a member of the Governing Council of the Economic and Social Research Council and Chair of its International Advisory Committee between 2003 and 2007. She was awarded an OBE for Services to Social Sciences in the 2010 New Years Honours List.

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Inequalities in Education by Prof Fiona Devine Inequalities in Education by Prof Fiona Devine Inequalities in Education by Prof Fiona Devine Inequalities in Education by Prof Fiona Devine Inequalities in Education by Prof Fiona Devine Inequalities in Education by Prof Fiona Devine

Muslim People in the UK

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Where: Star Education Centre, 116 Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 5AR

Dialogue Society North hosted Prof James Nazroo of Manchester who gave a seminar on the social and economic position of Muslim people living in the UK. Prof Nazroo shared with seminar participants the results of interviews and polls that compare various groups based on ethnicity and religion in England. After the presentation of quantitative data participants had a chance to ask questions to Prof Nazroo concerning issues of identity, racism and about comparative results with Spain and Germany. One of the noteworthy results of the qualitative data received from the surveys revealed that young people in the Muslim minority groups more readily identify themselves with a British identity contrary to popular perception.

Abstract

The social and economic position of Muslim people in England: inequality or segregation?

The social position of different religious groups in Britain has been the subject of much discussion. There are concerns regarding the ability of different religiously or ethnically defined groups to live alongside one another, with debates particularly focussing on Muslim people and whether or not they can and are willing to be integrated into European society. In particular is the suggestion of a lack of support for ‘the core European values of freedom, tolerance, democracy, sexual equality and secularism’ and a perceived cultural separatism (Modood 2003:101). But there are also concerns that some minority groups, particularly Muslims, experience severe socioeconomic disadvantage compared with others in England (Peach 2006). And that this, combined with the sense of isolation resulting from religious victimisation and responses to the British involvement in the ‘war on terror’, will produce problems for the development of a ‘British’ identity and an integrated lifestyle.

This talk will explore how religion, religiosity and ethnicity relate to the experiences and attitudes of people living in England. The socioeconomic position and attitudes of British Muslims will be examined through an investigation of differences across different Muslim groups (specifically those reporting Black African, Indian, Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage), how their circumstances and attitudes vary from those of other ethnic and religious groups in England, and how they compare with Muslim groups elsewhere in Europe. Exploration of the attitudes and experiences of Muslim people in different geographical, socioeconomic and ethnic contexts will reveal important insight into the influence of religious identity on their lives and how far this is influenced by socioeconomic inequality and reflects distance from a British identity.

Biography

Modood, T. (2003) ‘Muslims and the politics of difference’ The Political Quarterly Publishing Co. Ltd. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. Peach, C. (2006) Muslims in the 2001 Census of England and Wales: gender and economic disadvantage Ethnic and Racial Studies 29(4):629-655.

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Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK Seminar: Muslim People in the UK

Islam and Democracy

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As a member of the Advisory Council of the Anglican Observer to the United Nations, Amedee Turner carried out a project examining the question of the relationship between Islam and democracy. The opinions of lay Muslims throughout Britain and the US on democracy, human rights and the rule of law were sought through discussions among approximately 400 Muslims. The project report, which closely considers the issue of an inherent ‘clash of civilizations’, is available at Muslim Grass Roots Discuss Democracy. Amedee Turner will be sharing the conclusions of that study.

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Islam and Democracy by Amedee Turner QC, Honourary MEP Islam and Democracy by Amedee Turner QC, Honourary MEP Islam and Democracy by Amedee Turner QC, Honourary MEP Islam and Democracy by Amedee Turner QC, Honourary MEP Islam and Democracy by Amedee Turner QC, Honourary MEP
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