Dr. Shamim Miah & Professor Paul Thomas, Centre for Research in Education and Society, University of Huddersfield, UK
DATE: THURSDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2017
TIME: 3 – 5 PM (refreshments following the seminar)
VENUE: Deakin University Downtown, Level 12, Tower 2, 727 Collins
Street, Melbourne (near Southern Cross Station)
RSVP TO: adi-avert@deakin.edu.au for catering purposes
MUSLIMS, SCHOOLING AND SECURITY
Dr. Shamim Miah
This presentation focuses on the recent educational policy debates surrounding Muslims, schooling and the question of security in light of the UK’s Counter-Terrorism Security Act (2015). The paper analyses the infamous ‘Trojan Horse’ affair involving allegations of ‘extremism’ within Muslim-dominated state schools in Birmingham, and critically examines counter-terrorism and security discourse in light of theoretical insights from the study of securitisation and racial politics.
RESPONDING TO RESPONSIBILISATION: EDUCATORS IMPLIMENTING THE PREVENT DUTY IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Professor Paul Thomas
The 2015 Counter-Terrorism Act placed a formal legal duty on all British frontline education, health and welfare professionals to spot and report individuals viewed as being ‘at risk’ of radicalisation and extremist involvement – a clear shift of focus for ‘responsibilisation’ within the Prevent Strategy. High-profile cases of inappropriate referrals of Muslim students reported in the media seem to confirm the arguably Islamophobic reality of this policy measure. Yet how representative of ground-level Prevent Duty implementation are such cases? Data from recently completed empirical research with educators in English schools and colleges highlights complex experiences in which the influence of ground-level institutions and ‘street-level’ bureaucrats serve to mediate and potentially reposition the impacts of Prevent in schools as a process of policy enactment.