Wednesday 29 August 2012

“Citizen Khan” Divides UK Muslims

“Citizen Khan” Divides UK Muslims - Europe - News - OnIslam.net

New and noted: Islam in the West book

New and noted: Islam in the West: Key Issues in Multiculturalism, Edited by Max Farrar, Simon Robinson, Yasmin Valli and Paul Wetherly : Palgrave Macmillan "In recent years the debate on multiculturalism in the UK and other western societies has focused principally on Islam, and the specific 'problems' said to be posed by Muslims have been invoked to justify the claim that multiculturalism has failed. That claim is opened to scrutiny and challenged in this unique collection through a series of explorations of specific issues and controversies – including the question of the veil, crime, political Islam, the role of Muslim women, sexuality, and the Danish cartoons affair – and through more general reflections on the nature of multiculturalism. By exploring the nature of cultural differences and sensitivities and examining the way conflicts have played out, this challenging book makes a wide-ranging contribution to debate and a more constructive inter-cultural engagement. The contributors draw upon the disciplines of social science, ethics, theology, philosophy and education to examine the nature of the issues and flashpoints and to draw out implications for theory, policy and practice."

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Citizen Khan review

Arifa Akbar, Independent, Last night's viewing - Citizen Khan, BBC1 "In fact, the whole show seemed like it was stuck in a 1970s time warp. If the BBC's billing of it as the channel's first British Muslim comedy series had intended to give it some edge, this first episode quickly dispelled the spin."

Gatwick migration officer case

Why won't they tell me what I did wrong, asks Gatwick migration officer branded a terror risk in a secret court | Mail Online "An Arab immigration officer whose colleagues claimed he looked at the Al Jazeera website too much at work was sacked over alleged links to Islamic terrorism, a tribunal heard."

Friday 24 August 2012

Citizen Khan

The Guardian, Citizen Khan: an Asian sitcom star is born "Citizen Khan's comedy mostly takes place in the twin hubs of Mr Khan's life: the mosque and the family home in Sparkhill, Birmingham. The set is fantastically well-observed, from the clear plastic covering on the chintzy sofa – a familiar sight to many of us who grew up the children of immigrants – to the violently orange 70s-style kitchen counter tops."

New Report

Equality, human rights and religion or belief: time to get out of the courtroom? – Alice Donald « UK Human Rights Blog "A new report for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) by researchers at London Metropolitan University, including myself, explores these controversies. It is based largely on interviews and roundtable discussions with around 100 religion or belief groups, human rights and/or equality organisations, employers, public service staff, academics and lawyers. It is concerned as much with differing perceptions and understandings of the law as with the law itself. It also examines the practical application of the law in the workplace and public services."

Friday 3 August 2012

Shafilea Ahmed case concludes

Guardian, Shafilea Ahmed's parents jailed for her murder, 3 Aug 2012 "The parents of Shafilea Ahmed have both been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years after being found guilty of murdering their 17-year-old daughter."