Date: 27th March 2018
Time: 12:30

Speaker

• Prof Ian Linden, St Mary’s University

Abstract

In a time of increased tension between religions and religious minorities, Professor Ian Linden explores some of the roots of religious conflict and violence and how these problems arise. The talk will focus in particular on the links between religious identity, radicalisation and extremism. Its interdisciplinary approach will embrace theological, sociological, psychological and historical methodologies. The premise is that there is such a thing as “the extremist mind” - characterised by a distorted perception of social and political reality – generated by different perverse narratives: Neo-Nazi, takfiri-jihadi, Buddhist extremist etc. Given the contemporary rise and fall of Daesh and AQ with their terrorist onslaught, the role of their ideologies in sustaining extremism will be explored.

About Prof Ian Linden

Prof Ian Linden is a visiting professor at St. Mary's University, London. Previously, he was at the Tony Blair Faith Foundation as a Director of Policy (2010-2013) and a Senior Adviser (2013- 2016). He is a the former director of the Social Action Programme, Faiths Act, and an associate professor in the Study of Religion at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the University of London. He has published a number of books on religion in Africa and, recently, two major studies on faith and globalisation, "A New Map of the World and Global Catholicism". He was, for fifteen years, director of the Catholic Institute for International Relations and was awarded the CMG for work for human rights in 2000. He is a member of the Christian-Muslim Forum of the UK. He worked in interfaith dialogue with Shi'a leaders in Iran, and has acted as a DfID (UK government Department for International Development) consultant on matters of Faith and Development.