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Backlash Against Diversity? Identity and Cultural Politics in European Cities by Ralph Grillohot!
- 22.03.2006
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The paper discusses four ‘visions’ of the contemporary ethnically plural city under conditions of globalisation and transnationalism. These ‘visions’, which in various ways are found in academic writing, political and social policy debates, and in contemporary literature and film, might be described as models, ideal types, scenarios, trajectories, or options which envision how such cities, whose populations are ethnically, linguistically and culturally diverse, are or might be, should or should not be. Three of these visions (of the city as the site, respectively, of ‘assimilation’, ‘integration’, or ‘multiculturalism’, and ‘separatism’) have in varying degrees been found wanting, but contemporary criticism of ‘multiculturalism’ in Europe and North America suggests there is now a ‘backlash’ against diversity and difference and a desire to return to older ‘assimilative’ models of the city. Yet the reality, in a globalised and transnational world, is that the city is a site of a fourth vision, of ‘mixity’, one that many people find deeply disturbing.
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Charter of Principles of the World Social Forum, June 2001hot!
- 04.04.2006
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Committed by its charter (article 2) to the principle that 'Another World is Possible', the WSF seeks to prevent aggressive globalization and sees itself as an alternative to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland. In its charter (articles 8 and 9) it is committed to pluralism and diversity as well as 'planetary citizenship', 'a new world in solidarity' (article 14). Consult the commentary by Dr Asghar Ali Engineer, 'Creating an Alternative World: the role the World's Religions can play'.
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Citizenship Education by Adam Newman Turnerhot!
- 25.04.2006
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Citizenship education, within the terms set out in the National Curriculum orders, and as originally envisaged by the Crick Report, provides extensive scope for learning about faith diversity and for learning through inter-faith activities. Within the National Curriculum, citizenship is unique in requiring teaching about ‘topical political, spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues, problems and events’; it requires a study of the diversity of UK society and it requires learning about the ‘the importance of resolving conflict fairly’. These requirements should make inter-faith work sine qua non for an adequate coverage of the subject. Furthermore, practical inter-faith activities involving young people in (direct or virtual) dialogue and collaborative projects are ideal opportunities to fulfil the requirement at both key stages for all students to engage in ‘active citizenship’ work. Inter-faith work maps very closely onto the citizenship orders and could provide much content for both practical and conceptual aspects of the subject. Our initial investigation of current practice in citizenship education suggests that these opportunities are largely ignored; this is confirmed in OFSTED reports up to 2004. Seven recommendations are made for actions that would support schools and colleges in increasing the prominence of inter-faith work in their teaching of citizenship.
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Community Cohesion: A New Agenda for Inter-Faith Relations? 2002 conferencehot!
- 25.03.2006
- Report of the National Meeting of the Inter-Faith Network UK, 2002. Reservations were expressed by some faith groups at the idea of being co-opted to assist a specific government agenda.
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Creating An Alternative World: the Role the World's Religions Can Play by Asghar Ali Engineerhot!
- 04.04.2006
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A slightly edited version of the document circulated by the Indian Muslim Dr Asghar Ali Engineer in April 2006, reflecting on the World Social Forum's slogan 'Another World is Possible'. Consult also the Charter of Principles of the World Social Forum, where the slogan is to be found in article 2.
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