Examining the Extremes, Panel Discussion 3 - What do we know about the causes of right wing extremism in the UK?

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 18:00 in Discussion Forums

Where: Dialogue Society Birmingham Branch, 4 Vicarage Road, Birmingham, B15 3ES
Date: 30th April 2014
Time: 18:00

Speaker:

Mashuq Ally, Assistant Director, Equalities and Human Resources

Status

Abstract

The Dialogue Society, Birmingham Branch is organising a panel discussion series entitled, ‘Examining the extremes: exploring the causes of and connections between violent “religious” extremism and extreme right wing movements’.

This series will consist of four panel discussions exploring violent “religious” extremism and extreme right wing movements in the UK. It will consider what terms are most accurate and useful in talking about extremism, examining what we know about the causes of its different forms and considering the responsibilities and opportunities of different groups and institutions for tackling the threat of extremism.

Speakers will consider and address the sub-questions provided for each panel title.

Questions

What factors (social, political, economic, ideological, cultural) seem to contribute most significantly to people adopting extremism?
To what extent does this kind of extremism feed off violent Al-Qaeeda-type extremism?
How far is this kind of extremism affected by the pressures of economic crisis?

Biography of Mashuq Ally

Dr Mashuq Ally was appointed Head of Equality and Diversity for Birmingham City Council in May 2005 and is now the Assistant Director, Equalities & Human Resources. He is also the Operational Lead in the City Council for Social Cohesion and sits on the Strategic Board of Birmingham Reducing Gang Violence (BRGV) as well as the Lead for Tackling Extremism.

Dr Ally has a long career in equalities. Before coming to work in Birmingham he was the first Head of the Commission for Racial Equality in Wales. He has also been Director of the South East Wales Racial Equality Council and advised the National Assembly for Wales on its Race Equality programme. Before taking formal posts in equalities, he has a long career in Higher Education where he was Senior Lecturer and the Dean for the Faculty of Arts in the University of Wales, Lampeter where he was also Director for the Centre of Islamic Studies.

He also has a long history working in the not-for-profit area where he has been involved in the establishment of a number of voluntary sector bodies, such as the National Association of Asian Youth and the Newport Equalities and Citizenship Council. He has extensive experience in Inter Faith work, particularly in the formation of the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian – Muslim Relations, when it was at Selly Oak Colleges. He was involved in the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Standing Conference and established the Inter-Faith Council for Wales.

He has been a regular contributor to BBC Wales Weekend Word and for sometime a contributor to the BBC World Service on faith matters. He is also a member of the Shaikh Zayed Board for Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge.

Dr Ally is also a founder member of the Birmingham Leadership Foundation.