Centre for Social Cohesion

From Neocon Europe

The Centre for Social Cohesion (CSC) is a think tank set up by Civitas "following widespread and longstanding concern about the diminishing sense of community in Britain"^[1] According to a BBC Newsnight programme on 5 September 2007 the CSC was a "right leaning think tank". Its main focus has to do with discussing and analyzing the best means to integrate or assimilate ethnic minorities and what implications this has for the wider society. A major focus of CSC are trends in Muslim society in the UK, how they are integrating or not, and the radicalized sections of that society.

Contents 1 Activities 1.1 Campaign against Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation 2 Criticisms 3 Personnel 3.1 Advisory Council 3.2 Affiliates 4 Affiliation 5 Publications 6 References, Resources and Contact 6.1 Contact 6.2 Resources 6.3 References

Activities

• It seeks to analyze why certain groups become radicalized, and in the process seeks it advocates banning some books, and not funding certain activities or resources.
• Analyze the role schools play or should play in integrating minorities or fomenting "patriotism".
• Analyze the role and effect of religious schools.
• Analyze and debate what the UK's immigration policy should be and what possible effects extant policy will have.

Campaign against Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation

CfSC has led a campaign against the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation alleging that it is a front for the Hizb-ut-Tahrir based on the fact that one of its trustees is married to an HuT member and has in the past been a member herself. The research was used by David Cameron to attack the New Labour government in parliament, however, the Conservatives admitted some of their allegations turned out to be false. Houriya Ahmed, co-author of the CfSC report, appeared on BBC's Newsnight claiming that the state is funding a school allegedly run by HuT^[2]

Criticisms

David Shariatmadari of the Guardian has criticized CSC for its 'relentless Islamophobia', which he argues has 'spread poison and whipped up anti-Muslim paranoia at every turn'. Commenting on the CSC publication "A Degree of Influence", Shariatmadari concludes that it 'makes a mockery of these legitimate concerns by presenting trumped-up arguments to push a barely disguised anti-Muslim agenda.' ^[3]

Personnel

• David Green – Chairman
• Douglas Murray – Director
• David Conway – Senior Research Fellow
• James Brandon – Senior Research Fellow
• Salam Hafiz – Senior Research Fellow
• John Thorne – Senior Research Fellow
• Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens – Researcher
• Hannah Stuart – Researcher
• Houriya Ahmed – Researcher
• Robin Simcox – Researcher

Advisory Council

• Lord Carey of Clifton (former Archbishop of Canterbury)
• Baroness Cox of Queensbury
• Frank Field MP
• David Goodhart (Editor of Prospect Magazine)
• Neil Lochery (University College, London)
• Denis MacEoin (University of Newcastle upon Tyne)
• John Marks
• Michael Nazir-Ali, The Lord Bishop of Rochester
• Andrew Roberts
• Robert Rowthorn (University of Cambridge)

Affiliates

• Edmund Standing – Author of the Center's 2009 report on BNP's online activities.

Affiliation

• Civitas
• Based in Clutha House, 10 Storey's Gate, London where Policy Exchange are based
• Henry Jackson Society – thev've co-sponsored events
• The Spittoon - researcher Houriya Ahmed is on its editorial team.
• Quilliam Foundation - before a public falling apart, the two think-tanks jointly contributed to The Spittoon

Publications

• Douglas Murray and James Brandon, Hate on the State: How British libraries encourage Islamic extremism (2007)
• James Brandon and Salam Hafez, Crimes of the Community: Honour-based violence in the UK (2008)
• James Brandon, Virtual Caliphate: Islamic extremists and their websites (2008)
• John Thorne and Hannah Stuart, Islam on Campus: A survey of UK student opinions (2008)
• Douglas Murray and Johan Pieter Verwey, Victims of Intimidation: Freedom of speech within Europe’s Muslim communities (2008)
• The West and the Future of Islam: A debate between Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ed Husain (2009)
• The Beth Din: Jewish law in the UK (2009)
• A Degree of Influence: The funding of strategically important subjects in UK universities(2009)
• Edmund Standing, The BNP and the Online Fascist Network (2009)
• Houriya Ahmed and Hannah Stuart, Hizb ut-Tahrir: Ideology and Strategy, November 2009.

References, Resources and Contact

For an examination of what type of reporting the Centre for Social Cohesion provokes and provides in the media see Centre for Social Cohesion and the Media.

Contact

Centre For Social Cohesion

77 Great Peter Street

Westminster

London SW1P 2EZ

Tel: +44 (0)20 7799 6677

Fax: +44 (0)20 7799 6688

Web: www.socialcohesion.co.uk

Resources

• Arun Kundnani, How are thinktanks shaping the political agenda on Muslims in Britain?, Institute of Race Relations, 2 September 2008

References

1. ↑ About Us (Accessed: 6 September 2007)
2. ↑ Francis Elliot, Tories admit David Cameron Islamic schools claim 'had mistakes', The Times, 26 November 2009
3. ↑ David Shariatmadari, [A study in scare-mongering], The Guardian, 2 April 2009