Acknowledging a Shared Past to Build a Shared Future
Rethinking Muslim/non-Muslim Relations
A three-day conference at Cambridge University, 28-30 March 2012
During the last decade, debates on migration, social cohesion and the role of religion in the public space have revealed deepening social tensions and led to increased polarization in public opinion. Misperceptions and misinformation, particularly when it comes to relations between Muslims and other groups, often dominate public debates. Although they don’t speak with the loudest voice, academics, scholars and thought leaders have a key role to play in helping to shift these debates by providing fact-based opinion and informed arguments.
We invited academics, journalists, civil society and policy professionals and others from the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to join us at the Moller Centre at the University of Cambridge.
One of the key objectives of this conference was to help fill the gap between academic expertise and public knowledge in this area. Participants were invited to articulate narratives and messages that reflect an inclusive approach to relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. They explored areas of research and partnerships among institutions in the US, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa that can help shed light on deep connections between Muslim and non-Muslim societies in the fields of culture, the arts, humanities and science. Participants also had the opportunity to work with media professionals to develop or hone their skills in writing for the media and giving interviews.
Download the e-book series produced in conjunction with the conference
Download the conference programme (PDF).
We would like to express our thanks to all our partners in the organisation of this event: the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Centre of Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge, the Association of Muslim Social Scientists, the Woolf Institute, and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World at the University of Edinburgh.
