The First Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (UK)

Abstract

The first annual conference of the Association of Muslim SocialScientists of the United Kingdom took place on October 30-31, 1999, at theLondon School of Economics and Political Science in London, England.The attendees came from various British and continental European universities.There were also a few participants from outside the European continent.This conference was a follow-up to the December 1996 seminar at theOxford Academy for Advanced Studies that led to the creation of theAMSS(UK) for the specific purpose of promoting Islamic perspectives invarious academic disciplines. According to the conference program, theplanners of the conference chose an "open theme," inviting presenters towrite on topics in their own field of expertise. Because of this open invitationto the participants, papers on philosophy, sociology, political science,economics, law, education, religious studies, literature, art, media, andecology were presented at the conference.On the opening day, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham ( one of four Muslims sittingin the House of Lords) delivered the keynote address. He encouragedthe Muslim scholars to study the Muslim experience in the British Isles andto contribute to the better understanding of the Muslim minority in Britishsociety. He underscored the persistence of racism and anti-Islamic sentimentsin the country and urged his fellow believers to keep the faith and tomaintain their vigilance against the detractors of Islam in the West. Heargued for greater Muslim involvement in the political process in Britishsociety and urged the younger generation to do everything within theirpower to assert their rights as citizens and to maintain their Islamic identity.Professor Sulayman S. Nyang, a former President of the Association ofMuslim Social Scientists of the United States and Canada, addressed themeeting after Lord Ahmed's keynote address. Invited purposely to share theexperiences of the American AMSS with members of the British AMSS, ...