International Seminar - Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
10 – 11 September 2009
Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
This seminar has its origins in the reality of the implicit contradictions that can be discerned in nation state policies as they seek to manage ethnic diversity.
In a European context, which has in recent years seen a significant retreat from plural multiculturalism toward more assimilationist models of integration,the language of social cohesion has emerged as a powerful instrument of policy formulation. It offers a vision of planned initiatives to promote civic participation and inter-ethnic harmony. Drawing very centrally on the products of academic research and theory, social cohesion has come to have a central place in European and national social policy formulation and practice.
At the same time following 9/11 in the United States and other outrages in other Europe countries the issue of ‘home grown terrorism’ has created a parallel concern with security and the threat posed by radicalised elements in our midst. This radicalisation has typically been identified with Muslim youth and has lead to the popular stigmatisation of Muslim communities and their identification as the targets of ‘necessary and legitimate’ surveillance. In Europe and elsewhere this concern with countering the terrorist threat has been seen to have had a deleterious effect upon the taken for granted status of human right principles, and their implementation by state authorities.
This seminar has the aim of examining the nature of this apparently contradictory policy environment; and of revealing the implications of current practice for future inter-group relations.
The seminar is structured to optimise the involvement of all participants; so that there will be discussion after each paper, discussions to bring together issues across papers and a final policy debate to allow an open discussion of all the preceding discussion.
It hoped that persons involved in local and national policy and practice, as well as those with research or academics interests, will choose to participate in this seminar. As the number of places will be limited, in order to facilitate the participation of those attending, you are invited to book your place by contacting:
Ms Kirsi Reyes (kirsi.reyes[AT]helsinki.fi)