Focus of the Centre
Global societies are naturally diverse but diversity itself is not the cause of conflict. It is rather prejudices about the 'other' that lead to misapprehensions, fear and insecurity and which become deeply embedded in both the individual and the communal mind. Often these prejudices and phobias are the product of ignorance, media misrepresentations and extremist propaganda.
The Centre will encourage scholarship aimed at examining and understanding the root causes of the rift between Muslim and non-Muslim cultures and developing models to bridge this divide.
The
project falls under the leadership of
Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Pro-Vice Chancellor: Education Arts and
Social Sciences at UniSA and also UNESCO Chair in Transnational
Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies.
He predicts that the Centre will, over time, become a leading world policy institution and will build vital cultural and social bridges. In essence, he says the Centre will encourage scholarship aimed at examining and understanding the root causes of the divide between Muslim and non-Muslim cultures and developing models to overcome this.
His vision encompasses a unique forum in which scholars develop and share ideas within the framework of a broader social justice agenda, with high powered international leadership and opportunities for international interdisciplinary research projects, symposia, workshops, and round tables. He sees distinguished researchers with expertise in areas such as community mediation, diaspora, international studies and conflict resolution, social inclusion and reconciliation sharing in these activities. They will collectively tackle cross-cultural issues and develop rational approaches to addressing and overcoming prejudices about diversity.