A report has been published which is the culmination of a nine-month research project, hosted by the University of Cambridge in association with the Universities of Exeter and Westminster. Contextualising Islam in Britain: Exploratory Perspectives explores the philosophical and theological perspectives on what it means to be a Muslim in Britain. In time, it is hoped that this will lead to the development of a virtual ‘House of Wisdom’, providing space for discussion among both Muslims and non-Muslims on how Islam should function in modern Britain and contribute to wider society.
The Centre for the Study of Islam (CSI) opened on 28th January 2011 at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies. The CSI brings together researchers in areas related to Islam, its religion and culture, and will create a forum for doctoral and post-doctoral research exchange. It aims to bring together researchers in Islamic Studies both within IAIS, but also across the University of Exeter.
Professor Rob Gleave is principal investigator on Legitimate and Illegitimate Violence in Islamic Thought, a £594,251 project, funded by the AHRC and ESRC as part of the Global Uncertainties Programme. This will examine the legal reasoning of Muslim jurists and ethical thinkers by which acts of violence are justified or condemned. The three-year project supports two PhD studentships and one Research Fellowship in the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies.
