Call for papers “Islamophobia, Identity and Integration ------ The new “West” of the “Other”.

1) ISLAMOPHOBIA and its offspring, the denigration of the Prophet (pbuh), has increased significantly in recent years. One could be forgiven for thinking that the design of contemporary Islamophobia is such that its intent is to deliberately generate an outraged response from Muslims that justifies the Islamophobia in the first instance. This causes yet more Islamophobia on a self-perpetuating loop. What is the history of this phobia? How can it be opposed, or how must it be dealt with? How can the rights of free speech and the responsibilities towards good neighbourliness be reconciled? When does the right to gratuitous insult become incitement? Is the risk of religious abuse the price to pay for the other freedoms that non-Muslim societies provide? Are we as an Ummah engaging in enough dialogue with those who do not believe the way we do? Should every faith community be labelled with exclusivism?

Suggested themes but not limited to: A) The history of Islam in the “West” – lessons for contemporary times B) The origin of Islamophobia – the rebirth of a culture panic and open dialogue with the “other”.

2) THE ISSUE OF GAZA appears a little more clear cut – a community under siege, living in misery on international charity, but rife with internal dissent, ideological and tribal. Any community living under this sort of pressures foisted on it by external forces is likely to behave, sometimes, in a dysfunctional manner. How can the Ummah best support the people of Gaza? Should this support be entirely uncritical and unconditional? Is the situation as clear-cut as it is presented? How can support for the people of Gaza avoid support for the elements of extremism (however justified or not) that exists if necessary?

Suggested themes but not limited to: C) Fear of the “other” --- Focus on crises and Muslim values in Gaza. D) Semitic Traditions and values – share and share dislike?

3) WHAT IS THE BEST RESPONSE to the proposed sanctions on Iran? Should Muslim leaders simply oppose them unconditionally? Should there be a more nuanced response? Are the actions of Iran deserving of chastisement? Are the Western powers simply seeking to ensure that Iran cannot become a world power or are they genuinely concerned that hard-line elements within the Iranian regime have an expansionist military agenda? Are there concerns within the Ummah that Iran is trying to acquire a leadership status in Islaam for political purposes, or is the Iranian stance an example for all Muslim countries?

Suggested themes but not limited to: E) Pointing a finger at cultural fears – are sanctions helpful? F) Islamic and "western" values - mutually assured discord or inevitable accommodation?

4) WHAT ARE THE IDEAS of how to tackle the negative stereotyping of the Ummah and its follow up? It remains that much of the non-Muslim world has a very, very limited understanding of Islamic perspectives, and knows almost nothing of the life of the Prophet. There are many Muslim media outlets, but they tend to “speak to the converted”. The Holy Qur-aan is an inspiration from Allaah to help humanity, but if the bulk of humanity do not know about it how can they be helped? The Prophet (pbuh) was Allaah’s conduit for His message, but if the Prophet is best known in the West for a Danish cartoon controversy, then how can his life be inspirational to non-Muslims? This information deficit must be addressed, the propaganda countered, and the reality of the lived lives within the Ummah articulated for a non-Muslim audience.

Suggested themes but not limited to: G) Islamophobia and the media – the marketing of denigration. H) An alternative news channel for Muslims and non-Muslims.

5) IT IS A KNOWN FACT that man-made laws and the rights that they enshrine or imply are not new as a concept; and were continually created, modified, expanded up through the Greek, Roman and medieval periods and into the more well known codes we know today, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Can it be defined as unchallenged philosophical assumptions that are driven by the changing of personal values which make the individual more important than the society? One of the most significant articulations of human rights is contained within the Holy Qur-aan, which Muslims believe is a direct revelation from Allaah, beginning more than 1400 years ago. From an Islamic perspective the human rights recited in the Holy Qur-aan are Allaah-given, and thus cannot be rescinded by any earthly power. Any rights given by a purely human agency can be rescinded by that or other human agencies. Even if such rights are enshrined within a constitution they can be changed by a referendum of the people. For example the Irish constitution originally debarred divorce, but following a vote by the people this was changed. Thus from an Islamic perspective the rights according to a human being in the Holy Qur-aan are a higher form of rights, divinely conferred, by virtue of Allaah’s love of humanity.

Suggested themes but not limited to: I) Image creation – Religious and cultural misappropriation? J) Islamic and Western values – mutually assured discord or inevitable accommodation?

Please note: Abstracts for papers and its responses should be submitted no later than 31st August 2010. R.S.V.P. Sheikh Shaheed Satardien sheikhshaheed@gmail.com Mobile: 00353868144934 Website: www.iilconference.com
Thanking you in anticipation.