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A new conference entitled "From Dialogue to Collaboration: The Vision of Fethullah Gülen and Muslim-Christian Relations" will be held on 15-16 July 2009 at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.
The conference aims to explore, through the prism of Fethullah Gülen's personal and theological profile, his worldwide contribution to Islamic studies, education, philanthropy, and interreligious dialogue. Fethullah Gülen's vision of dialogue and Muslim-Christian relations will be brought into relation with developments in the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches since Vatican II's Nostra Aetate (1965).
- More information on this event can be found at: http://www.intercultural.org.au/events_2007/gulen_chair/index.htm
Conference Information
Introduction
Collaboration: The Vision of Gülen and Muslim-Christian Relations – will take place on Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th of July.
Islamophobia: the Experience in Worlds Old and New - Lessons from Europe and Australia represents one half of a pair of conferences being planed by AIS, ACU and Monash for July 2009. This conference, to be held at Monash's Caulfield campus on Saturday the 18th, and Sunday the 19th of July. Another major international conference on the Gülen Movement –From Dialogue to.
These conferences are organised by the Australian Intercultural Society (AIS) in conjunction with Monash University and the Australian Catholic University with special support from the
- Centre for Islam and the Modern World
- National Centre for Australian Studies
- Monash Centre for EU and European Studies
- Global Terrorism Research Centre
- Fethullah Gülen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic Relations
Fethullah Gülen Chair Inaugural International Conference Rationale
This conference "From Dialogue to Collaboration: The Vision of Fethullah Gülen and Muslim-Christian Relations" aims to explore, through the prism of Fethullah Gülen's personal and theological profile, his worldwide contribution to Islamic studies, education, philanthropy, and interreligious dialogue. Gülen's vision of dialogue and Muslim-Christian relations will be brought into relation with developments in the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches since Vatican II's Nostra Aetate (1965)
Islamophobia Conference Rationale
In 2003, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) commenced a project called Isma: National consultations on eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians. During this project the Commission consulted with over 1400 Arab and Muslim Australians around Australia. Participants described their experiences of racial and religious discrimination, vilification and abuse since the September 11 attacks in 2001 and the Bali bombings in 2002.
The Isma Report, published in 2004, found that the impact of racial and religious discrimination against Arab and Muslim Australians is most acutely felt by women, in particular Muslim women wearing the hijab or other forms of religious dress. The report also found that most incidents raised in the consultations were not reported to police or other government authorities due to fear of victimisation; lack of trust in authority; lack of knowledge about the law and complaints processes; the perceived difficulty in making a complaint; and the perception that outcomes were unsatisfactory.
The biggest impacts reported by consultation participants, particularly women and young people, were a substantial increase in fear, for example of being attacked or abused; a growing sense of alienation from the wider community; and an increase in distrust of authority such as government or police.
Consultation participants throughout the Ismaﻉ Project expressed strong views about the need for more effective community action as well as government action to tackle anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination. Ismaﻉ identified several strategies for addressing these issues, including improved networking between diverse community groups, stronger community leadership, and better education within communities as well as the broader public about issues affecting Arab and Muslim Australians, as well as providing greater support for individuals who were seen to be particularly at risk of discrimination and vilification (such as women, young people and newly arrived migrants and refugees).
Since the Isma Report was published other events, such as the London bombings in July 2005, have taken place that are likely to exacerbate the discrimination and vilification being experienced by Muslims as identified in Isma. These events have only increased the need to address such problems and to seek ways of promoting the common goals of harmony and understanding.
There is a need to bring these issues to academic discourse and critical enquiry so that meaningful discussion can take place and real progress can be made. Although the public debate will not or should not end, this conference will make a significant positive and progressive contribution to the discourse. At the same time, this conference will provide an opportunity for the humanities and social sciences departments in our universities to enquire into real issues impacting on our society. This conference will also create a platform for the research already done in the field as well as spark new research.
Most importantly, Muslim community will be engaged in the process through the involvement of initiating organisations, Affinity Intercultural Foundation and Australian Intercultural Society. This will ensure that the Muslim Community, in particular, is not only a subject of intellectual enquiry but also an integral participant in the debate. In such engagement, the Muslim community can willingly contribute to the exploration of issues rather than feel under attack and become defensive, closing itself to change and social integration.
- More information on this event can be found at: http://www.intercultural.org.au/events_2007/gulen_chair/index.htm
Conference Objectives
Background
In the past four years, Australian Intercultural Society have organised two major social conferences with multicultural and multifaith focus, as well as many other smaller public programmes.
In 2009, there is a need to extrapolate this discourse into the realm of “Islamophobia” at a time when the multicultural nature of the Australian Society is being questioned in light of the integration of the Muslim Community.
Objectives
1. Increase understanding among Muslim Australian’s about human rights principles focusing on but not restricted to racial and religious discrimination and vilification.
2. Increase understanding among the non-Muslim community about Islam and what it is like to be a Muslim in Australia.
3. Promote social inclusion, multiculturalism and zero tolerance to racism in order to avoid the continuing alienation of young Muslims.
4. Acknowledgement that social inclusion measures are likely to be much more successful at protecting the community from violence than many of the tough security initiatives advocated under the ‘war on terror’.
5. Improve social inclusion and combat racism with the aim of reducing frustration within Muslim communities and eliminate discriminatory perceptions of threats to national security among non-Muslim communities
6. Provide a platform for the presentation of new and existing research in the related subject matters.
7. Specifically engage the Muslim community and policy makers in an intellectual enquiry.
Outcomes
1. An organising committee made up of representatives from partnering organisations and universities is established.
2. One or two keynote speakers with academic and social experience in the field of integration and citizenship take part in the conference.
3. The event is attended by a large number of academics, policy makers, interest groups and members of Muslim community and general public.
4. Conference participants leave the event with greater understanding of theme and the underlying issues.
5. Papers are published on the internet or other suitable media or publications.
Method
The conference will be managed by an Organising Committee made up of representatives from participating organisations and universities. This has been done for expediency while maximising the involvement of universities as well as making the conference more affordable.
The conference will be held on Saturday and Sunday, in order to maximise academic and public participation. In order to engage the Muslim community and general public, there will be a Friday night symposium with three or four speakers – one AIS speaker representing the Muslim Community perspective and the prominent local academics.
- More information on this event can be found at: http://www.intercultural.org.au/events_2007/gulen_chair/index.htm
Conference Programs
FETHULLAH GULEN CHAIR CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Day 1 Wednesday15 July 2009
Day 2 Thursday 16 July 2009
ISLAMOPHOBIA CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Day 1 Saturday 18 July 2009
9.00 - 9.30 Opening comments
9.30 - 11.30 Panel 1 Migration and the migrant experience
11.30 - 1.00 Panel 2 political discourse
1.00 - 2.00 Lunch
2.00 - 3.30 Panel 3 Fear of the other
3.30 - 5.00 Panel 4 Fear of loss of freedom of speech
Day 2 Sunday 19 July 2009
9.00 - 10.30 Panel 5 Fear of terrorism
10.30 - 11.00 Coffee break
11.00 - 12.30 Panel 6 Fear of Islamism and Sharia Law
12.30 - 1.30 Lunch
1.30 - 3.00 Panel 7
3.00 - 3.30 Coffee break
3.30 - 5.30 Panel 8 Closing remarks Indonesia
- More information on this event can be found at: http://www.intercultural.org.au/events_2007/gulen_chair/index.htm
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