Teaching Islam at UK Higher Institutions
29 November, 2006 (University of Edinburgh)
‘Teaching Islam at UK Higher Institutions’:
This initiative was undertaken in light of a major review of the field that the Government launched recently, prompted by fears of extremist influences within British academic institutions (as reported in THES, 19 May 2006).
This day-long workshop gathered academics from several British institutions, who teach Islamic studies and are closely familiar with the field in the UK, to reflect on the recent past, present and future of the field. Discussions addressed current trends and approaches in Islamic studies at British universities and colleges; the contents and range of courses available; their bearing on, and relevance to, contemporary events; the field’s achievements, setbacks, challenges and problems; funding; and the nature of the student bodies.
The participants included:
1. Professor Muhammad Abdel-Haleem (SOAS)
2. Dr Andreas Christmann (University of Manchester)
3. Professor Anoush Ehteshami (University Durham)
4. Dr Fareed El-Shayyal (Markfield Institute of Higher Education)
5. Professor Rob Gleave (University of Exeter)
6. Professor Robert Hoyland (University of St Andrews)
7. Dr Mawil Izzi Dien (University of Wales, Lampeter)
8. Dr Bustami Khir (University of Birmingham)
9. Dr Christopher Melchert (University of Oxford)
10. Dr Shuruq Naguib (University of Lancaster)
11. Professor Azim Nanji (Ismaili Institute)
12. Professor Ian Netton (University of Leeds)
13. Professor James Piscatori (University of Oxford)
14. Dr Ayman Shihadeh (University of Edinburgh)
15. Professor Mona Siddiqui (University of Glasgow)
16. Dr Azzam Tamimi (Institute of Islamic Political Thought)
From Edinburgh, Paul Anderson, Dr Anthony Gorman, Professor Carole Hillenbrand, Dr Andrew Newman, Dr Kamran Rastegar and Professor William Roff also attended.
