Network Digest – June 2011
Please read below for news and information from our network.To include any items in next month’s digest, please email m.shaw@gold.ac.uk
News/EventsFaithxChange
The third FaithxChange event, Faith, Youth & Policy took place last month at Bristol University. Co-hosted by FCSU and the Centre for Ethnicity & Citizenship, the event was attended by a mix of academics and practitioners with an interest in youth, faith and civil society. PhD students, Nigel Pimlott and Naomi Stanton presented their research on faith-based youth work and Ekatrina Kolpinskaya, in the first year of her PhD, presented her work on religious minorities’ representation in British politics. This was followed by Daniel Nilsson DeHanas, of the Centre for Ethnicity & Citizenship, who presented his research on youth, religion and everyday citizenship in inner city London. The presentations were followed by discussion exploring the themes raised. If you would like further details or papers from the day, please contact m.shaw@gold.ac.uk or see the website.
The final FaithxChange event, Faith, Young People and Higher Education will be held on 20th July. The day will include presentations from Linda Woodhead, Director of the Religion & Society research Programme. Further details to follow soon – please see the FSCU website, or visit www.faithxchange.org.uk.
The Big Questions: Faith in Public Life9.00am to 3.15pm on Monday 27 June 2011 (lunch included) at The Chapter House, Chelmsford, CM1 1NX
A free conference organised by the East of England Faiths Council, Essex County Council and Parliamentary Outreach. The event will explore how faith and inter-faith groups can participate in policy making, create partnerships and contribute fully to civic life and how the public sector can work most effectively with faith groups? For further information or to book a place (by 17 June) contact Lesley or Jenny on 01223 421606 or email: eefc@cambcatalyst.co.uk.
Beyond Belief: Religion and Belief in Professional Practice, an international conference, is offered by the University of Bradford with bursaries provided by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 7-8 September 2011 at Norcroft Centre, The University of Bradford.This conference aims to stimulate discussion amongst practitioners, service providers, carers, users, policy makers, and academics about the impact of religion and belief on professional practice in social work and health and social care. See website for further details; /www.brad.ac.uk/study/cpd/belief/
IVAR Seminar SeriesAt the last BIVAR seminar on the12th May, Julia Unwin and Cathy Pharoah presented their thinking and research on Tackling Poverty, Giving Money and Getting Involved in the era of Big Society. This led to a stimulating discussion. Pdfs of the presentations will be on the IVAR website shortly.
The next BIVAR seminar, Funders, Philanthropy and Engagement will build on these discussions with speakers Beth Breeze, a co-founder of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, and Ben Cairns, Director of the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) and a Visiting Fellow of Birkbeck, University of London. It will be on the evening of Thursday 9th June near Euston/Kings Cross in London (venue to be confirmed).
To reserve a place contact Diana Wray at IVAR diana@ivar.org.uk
The Multi-Faith Centre, Derby - Death, Psychology & Religion Presentation Series
Princess Diana digital afterlife, Andrew Wilson - Tuesday 7th June, 7.00-9.00pm, Free of Charge, All Welcome.
This presentation will argue that cyberspace, as a medium offers a unique opportunity for the spiritual seeker to explore the syncretism that lies at the heart of the cultic milieu. The interlinked pages which constitute webspace extend the 'circuit' shared by seekers into a global context and, further, provide an enhanced sense of community. In this context individual apocalyptic prophecies can flourish and become sedimented within the cultic milieu, strengthened by this extended circuit and enhanced communal potential.
Conversations Across Faiths - Thursdays, 7.00pm, at the Multi-Faith Centre. All Welcome, Free of Charge, Donations Welcomed.
A friendly group of people from many different faiths and of no faith at all, who like to discuss topics linked with faith. Topics include: 2nd June - 'Should Religion change with time or vice versa?' 23rd June - 'Politics and Religion - What influences what?' 21st July - 'Can we agree to common features in faith?' 11th August - 'Is there any truth in metaphors and myths?' For more information contact the Multi-Faith Centre on 01332 591285
Crossing Borders: New Catholic Perspectives in Practice-Based Theology, Heythrop College, University of London, Wednesday 22nd June 2011 - 10.00am to 5.00pm
Conference and Official Launch of the newly formed Heythrop Institute: Religion & Society. Theology at the service of society 'crossing borders' it has to navigate; and borders to be crossed within Catholicism itself. Themes and Speakers;
- Dialogue in the Dust: on the Texture of Inter-religious Relations
Dr Michael Barnes SJ (Heythrop College)
- Sin and transcendence vs. psychological pathology and well-being
Dr Rachel Blass (Heythrop College)
- Challenge of Asylum: on Forming Responsible Judgement
Dr Anna Rowlands (Margaret Beaufort Institute)
- When Reason meets Faith: Dialogue, Dialectic or Impasse?
Dr James Sweeney CP (The Heythrop Institute: Religion & Society)
Charge (including lunch) £12 (students £8) (Heythrop staff - no charge) Bookings can be made at conference@heythrop.ac.uk
NORFACE Call for papers: Integration and transnationalism: how are the two connected?, Warsaw, Poland, 9 September 2011
Papers are invited for a session at the Eighth Annual IMISCOE Conference, ‘Dynamics of European Migration Space: Economy, Politics and Development’, entitled Integration and transnationalism: how are the two connected? Session organizers are Jørgen Carling and Marta Bivand Erdal, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). The deadline for abstracts is 15 June 2011:
In this session we invite papers that explore the link between transnationalism and integration either empirically, theoretically or both. We welcome ethnographic and statistical analyses as well as papers that examine discourses on integration and transnationalism. Abstracts (200-300 words) should be submitted to Jørgen Carling (jorgen@prio.no) by 15 June 2011. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 30 June 2011. The closing date for registration to the conference is 1 August 2011. Participants must cover the full cost of conference attendance. See www.imiscoeconferences.org for details. The conference lasts from the evening of 7 September to the afternoon of 9 September. Our session will take place 09:00-12:15 on 9 September.
Courses
Durham University is taking applications for their exciting MA in Faith and Globalisation through its School of Government and International Affairs and Department of Theology and Religion, with the participation of staff from across the faculties of the Social Sciences & Health and the Arts & Humanities departments. Find out more and apply here:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/faithglobalisation/mafg/structure/
Publications/Research
The following research projects were established by the EHRC between January 2008 and February 2011. Please see the individual project centres for details of published reports
The impact of counter-terrorism legislation on the Muslim Community, University of Durham Human Rights Centre, Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick. This project explores the impacts of counter-terrorism legislation and any relevant counter-terrorism policies on ethnic minority groups in general, and the Muslim community in particular.
Religious Discrimination in Britain: A Review of Research Evidence, 2000-2010, Paul Weller, University of Derby. This project examines the quantitative and qualitative evidence that religious groups feel they are discriminated against; any evidence that religious discrimination is increasing or decreasing; and any differences in the nature of religious discrimination between England, Scotland and Wales.
Religion and Society: Exploring the Equality Dimension, Linda Woodhead, Lancaster University. This project reviews recent or ongoing research relevant to the topic of religion, equality and discrimination.
Understanding equality and human rights in relation to Religion or Belief, London Metropolitan University, Alice Donald, Philip Leach, Karen Bennett and Aruna Dudhia. This project aims to identify the concerns of religion or belief stakeholders, employers and/or employer organisations and service providers, and other equality strands, about the key conflicting interests between strand rights and different human rights, which are linked in some way to religion or belief issues. Key issues include religious symbols, religious conscience, religious clothing and freedom of expression and potential clashes between the rights of religious and non-religious groups, and religious groups and other equality groups. The project covers England and Wales.
St Ethelburgas’ Tandem Dialogue Interfaith Project. This project is being made available as a training/workshop model for University Chaplains, and students. The project was developed at Leeds University and has been piloted in eight group sessions by St Ethelburgas. Both as in-house and outreach models. With diverse groups including a partnership with the NUS that involved London University students and Chaplains.For more details please Check out: http://stethelburgas.org/multifaith/projects
Religion and Belief Guide. 5 April 2011 marks a milestone in equality law with the introduction of the new public sector equality duty (PSED). The new duty is encompassed in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. The nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. This new updated guide gives employers and managers practical help in complying with the Equality Act 2010 and in creating a fair working environment in which no one is put at a disadvantage because of religion or belief.