Over an intense weekend of lectures and workshops, participants identified trends and emerging issues in British Muslim communities.
Building on the foundation workshop last year, our British Muslim Futures Network convened for its second workshop in Manchester from 12-13th April.
Organised by the Muslim Institute, supported by the International Institute of Islamic Thought and delivered by Dr Jordi Serra del Pino and Dr Wendy Schulz of the Centre for Postnormal Policy and Futures Studies, the workshop gathered Muslims from a range of sectors to work through future trends, analysis and emerging issues.
Over an intense weekend of lectures and workshops, participants identified trends and emerging issues in British Muslim communities sketching out their possible future evolution. Issues such as the commercialisation of Ramadan, the use of social media as a source of theology and Islamic knowledge by young Muslims, and rates of migration by British Muslims.
Participants engaged in analysis of changes and challenges to British Muslim communities, from a rise in prejudice and hostility to growing ethnic diversity within Muslim communities, an increase in political activism, growth in the number of climate refugees, and rising health inequalities.
Participants also devised a timeline of shared history marking significant changes, inventions and progress over the past century. The timeline served as a reminder of how much change we have collectively lived through, and how change is inevitable.
A final workshop is planned for December in which participants will further engage in scenario planning.
The British Muslim Futures Network is a project of the Muslim Institute and dedicated to the development of a cohort of Muslims engaged in futures strategy and planning for British Muslim communities. It is convened by our trustee Shenaz Bunglawala.
