The City Circle Noticeboard
Thursday 20 October 2005
*** EVENTS ***
1. City Circle’s iftari – The Dignity of Difference
Organised jointly with the US-UK Fulbright Commission as part of Black History Month
Time : 4pm (Sharp) – 7pm Date : Saturday 22 October 2005
Venue : Old Theatre, Main Building, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
Venue : Old Theatre, Main Building, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
**Free Admission**
Speakers : Tariq Ramadan, Visiting Fellow at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford and David Garrow, Senior Research Fellow in Homerton College, University of Cambridge
Join us for an engaged debate exploring the transatlantic approaches to diversity and living together. At a time when the issue of multiculturalism and identity in the UK is being hotly contested across the political spectrum, a discourse has emerged that revolves around a notion of integration. Some point to the ‘hyphenated’ US model as one that we should emulate, with others looking at European templates.
However, the spotlight on race and poverty in the US, as a result of Katrina, has led to a number of US commentators , particularly from the ‘left’, echoing Stan Greenburg’s ‘The Two Americas’ mantra. It has brought back to the surface the critique that a hyphenated American identity continues to ill-serve minorities. In Europe governments and politicians alike, continue to grapple with the notion of faith identity, particularly in the context of a growing Muslim population. Can they learn lessons from the US political right who have readily taken this on, regardless of its varied ramifications ? And what of the political left ? Its historical reluctance to seriously consider faith identity suggests that it needs to take an intellectual leap forward.
So the question that our esteemed panel guests will answer is what is the appropriate civil rights movement response ?
The panel discussion and Q&A will be followed by prayers and iftar. Admission is free, however please confirm attendance and numbers for catering by emailing [email protected].
