Religion, race, public policy, segregation and integration
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:51:00 GMT
Shamim Miah teaches on the BA(Hons) Religion and Education and is involved in a wide range of writing and research, all of which are helping to develop the Religion and Education BA course at the University.
Shamim has a wide range of research interests which include Ibn Khaldun and his writing; he was a 14th century philosopher and sociologist who wrote about social solidarity, and race, faith and integration/segregation, as Shamim has 10 years policy experience, advising local authorities in these areas.
His doctoral thesis, nearing completion, is about faith, schooling and the debate around segregation using the theories of Ibn Khaldun, whose work explored how people create sense of solidarity. He looks at the role of faith and how it creates a sense of solidarity in religious communities; and how it is articulated in the public arena.
He is a reviewer for the Muslim World Book Review, for which he reviews books on Muslims in Europe and the debate surrounding segregation. A list of his articles can be found here.
Shamim is also developing materials about local Muslim history for the Higher Education Academy, relating the history of Muslim communities right back to the late 1800s which will be used not only by students at this University but at any university in the country. The work will develop a DVD documentary, due to be published in January 2012. Here is a link to the project site of the Higher Education Academy.
As he explains, ‘My research is very topical. The course here isn’t just about the more traditional history and development of each religion, but we also look at the contemporary issues surrounding religion today, so my research and reviewing keeps me – and the course – up to date and topical.’
