Media Release
November 27, 2003
Keeping dialogue open between Islam and the West
UniSA hosts national Perspectives on Islam workshop
It’s no secret that a new atmosphere of suspicion and hostility has surrounded relationships between Islam and the West since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States and subsequent events in Indonesia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
But how well-founded is this hostility, when dominant perceptions – on both sides – are largely based on stereotypes and misunderstandings about two very broad, far from homogenous, arms of civilisation?
With an eye on the importance of dialogue to resolve conflict, 17 of Australia’s leading experts on Islam will come together at the University of South Australia on November 28 and 29 for an Academy of Social Sciences in Australia workshop, Perspectives in Islam, to highlight the diversity of Islam in Australia and around the world.
Convened by UniSA’s Professor Mervyn Lewis (co-author of Islamic Banking) and Flinders University’s Professor Riaz Hassan (author of Faithlines: Muslim Conceptions of Islam and Society) the workshop will cover topics from the scope of Islamic law to developments in Islamic economics, the status of women in Islam and the social diversity of Muslims around the world and in Australia.
"By having a dialogue we are trying to break down some of the stereotypes that are separating the people within Australia and around the world," says Professor Lewis.
"Islam is seen by many as a monolithic force confronting the West and Western modernity, yet the reality is that Islam is far from homogenous. In some Western eyes all Muslims are potential terrorists but the truth is the majority of Muslims are peace-loving people just like the majority of Christians.
"Amongst Muslims the unifying factor is the Koran, but there’s a tremendous diversity in beliefs and cultural practices from region to region. Unlike say, the Catholic Church, there is no central Islamic administration enforcing the doctrine set by a clearly-established hierarchy. Each mosque appoints their own mullah, and while some may be radical, the vast majority are not."
Some of the people to participate in the workshop include UniSA’s Professor Kazem Abhary (a prominent member of the Shia Muslim community in South Australia and author of works on the relationship between Islam and science), Jamila Hussain (vice president of the Muslim Women’s National Network), Professor Amin Saikal (director of the Australian National University’s Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies), and Father James Murray (religious affairs editor for The Australian.)
Islam around the world
- Islam is numerically the second largest religion in the world, with 1.2 billion followers (after Christianity’s 2 billion)
- Muslims form a majority of the population in 56 countries
- Indonesia is 90 per cent Muslim, and Muslims constitute 12 per cent of the population of Thailand and The Philippines
- There are more than 300,000 Muslims living in Australia, coming from more than 70 countries
- In Australia, Arabic is now the fourth-largest language spoken at home other than English (although not all Arabic speakers in Australia are Muslims)
- There are 9 million Muslims in Europe and more than 6 million in the United States
Media contact
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Professor Mervyn Lewis ph: (08) 8339 3675
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Charlotte Knottenbelt ph: (08) 8302 0578 mobile: 0439 807 004