Q-News

It's something of a paradox that much of my research is digital, yet I still seem to have boxes and boxes of research related materials (evidenced in a recent office reconfiguration). I need some time for serious archiving. I found lots of TV programmes on Islam/Muslims in the UK from the 80s and 90s, recorded on VHS - not sure when I'll get those into digital format! However, I did locate this box of more tangible materials, containing a set of Q-News from the first issue in the early 90s onwards. There's still scope for getting a research paper out of this. It was an important magazine at the time.

Anger over Sara Khan appointment to lead UK counter-extremism commission

Middle East Eye, Anger over Sara Khan appointment to lead UK counter-extremism commission, 23 Jan 2018 opinions on this appointment from all sides, in relation to the Prevent strategy. "Campaigner described as 'a creation of and mouthpiece for the Home Office' as government faces criticism over controversial appointment." Also see The Guardian, Choice of new UK anti-extremism chief criticised as 'alarming', 24 Jan 2018 and BBC News, Controversy over new counter-extremism tsar Sara Khan, 25 Jan 2018

Finsbury Park attack - trial

Daily Mail, CCTV 'captures the moment Finsbury Park murderer ploughed his rental van into a crowd of Muslim worshippers leaving one man dead after asking for directions to the nearest mosque', 23 Jan 2018 Comprehensive coverage of this case, showing the roles of social media and internet content. Also see Wales Online, Cardiff man accused of carrying out Finsbury Park attack told pub-goers 'I’m going to kill all Muslims', court hears, 23 Jan 2018

Blackburn

Bushra Siddiq, BBC News, Blackburn: A town still divided? "Blackburn was once described as one of the most segregated towns in Britain by the author of a report on riots across northern England. In 2007, Panorama found Blackburn's Muslim Asian and white communities were living worlds apart. Ten years on, has anything changed?"
Available on iPlayer, BBC, Panorama, White Fright, Divided Britain, 22 Jan 2018

Luton school responds to Ofsted

BBC News, Luton Islamic school complains over critical Ofsted report, 19 Jan 2018 "Governors at an Islamic school have lodged a complaint over a highly critical report.
"Ofsted found pupils at the independent Olive Tree Primary School in Luton had to ask for toilet paper and wash their cutlery in toilet sinks."

Update: East Ham school’s hijab ban

Guardian, East London primary school backs down over hijab ban, 19 Jan 2018

update on this story:

Newham Recorder, Petition against East Ham school’s hijab ban for under 8s gets 8,000 signatures in two days, 16 Jan 2018

Book review: Afua Hirsch

Guardian, Brit(ish) by Afua Hirsch review – everyday racism and a search for identity, 19 Jan 2018

Preventing Prevent (opinion piece)

opinion piece: Iqra Choudhry, The Overtake, Preventing Prevent

"What does Islamophobia feel like? We dressed visibly as Muslims for a month to find out."

Irene Zempi & Imran Awan, The Conversation, What does Islamophobia feel like? We dressed visibly as Muslims for a month to find out "In 2015, Imran grew a beard, wore the jubba (male Islamic dress) and Islamic cap in public places in Birmingham, while in 2014 I wore the full veil – including jilbab (long dress), hijab (headscarf) and niqab (face veil) – in public places in Leicester. Our goal was to examine how our perceived identity as Muslims made us vulnerable to Islamophobic victimisation. The level of hatred and vitriol we experienced was startling." Some significant ethical issues would be raised in research of this nature. It's an interesting article, however.

Burial issues

Evening Standard, Coroner criticised over Jewish and Muslim burials "A senior coroner faces calls to resign over claims she caused "immense anguish and trauma" in her handling of burial requests from Muslim and Jewish families." Also on BBC London News last night.

Islamophobia Resource

Islamophobia Resource - Experiences

Schools urged to help tackle Islamophobia

Bethan Lewis, BBC News, Schools urged to help tackle Islamophobia "Young Muslims in Wales say they have been frequently stared at in public, called "terrorists" at school and been told by strangers to take off headscarves."

Derby terror plot

Dominic Casciani, BBC News, Derby terror plot: The online Casanova and his lover, 8 Jan 2018 This is a significant case, in relation to the significance of online materials in the radicalisation processes.

Muslims in Wales

Jessica Walford, Wales Online, Abused and discriminated against yet thriving and proud: the life of Muslims in Wales "We found a community that is at once thriving and under-threat, both settled and unsure of its place, growing but vulnerable, integral to Welsh life but poorly understood and isolated." Good to see this article on an underrepresented subject. The following map is included in the article:

2017 Peaceful Co-Existence Conference a Success!

MCW, 2017 Peaceful Co-Existence Conference a Success! brief report on the Cardiff 2017 conference, which I participated in.

UK Muslims Find their Indigenous Voice in Hymns, Pantomimes

Lauren Booth, aboutislam.net, UK Muslims Find their Indigenous Voice in Hymns, Pantomimes "Crossed legged on the floor, my ears navigate the curious strains of a Manx (Isle of Man) folk tune, reworded to praise Allah, sung by women with Scouse accents."