Difference between revisions of "Munira Mirza"
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| − | [[Munira Mirza]] | + | [[Munira Mirza]] is the Advisor for Arts and Culture Policy of the Greater London Authority under the Conservative administration of [[Boris Johnson]] and is associated with the libertarian anti-environmental [[LM network]]. |
| − | + | According to her former employer, centre right think tank [[Policy Exchange]], “Munira - author of the Policy Exchange pamphlet Culture Vultures - is not a card-carrying Tory member, but is one of a new generation of thinkers behind David Cameron's makeover of the party that is attracting money and fresh ideas.” <ref>[http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/news/news.cgi?id=328 Thinkers behind fresh Tory politics move up in party hierarcy], Policy Exchange website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | |
| − | + | ==Early years== | |
| + | Munira Mirza was born in Oldham in 1978 of Pakistani parents and educated at Breeze Hill comprehensive”. <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4926641/Munira-Mirza-a-blast-of-fresh-air-for-London.html A blast of fresh air for London], The Telegraph, acc 8 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| − | + | ==Student days== | |
| + | Munira studied English at Oxford, graduating in 1999. She has lectured at the University of Kent and the University of East London. She completed a PHD at the University of Kent in 2008 for the sociology department which [[Frank Furedi]] heads. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Career== | ||
| + | In 2001 she worked as a fundraiser for the Royal Society of Arts. In 2005 she presented ‘The Business of Race’, a two part series for BBC Radio Four on race and diversity. In 2005, she was also conducting interviews for the University of East London’s [[Rising East]] initiative, which is run by [[Andrew Calcutt]]. In 2006 she was an arts consultant for the [[London East Research Institute]]. She edited the report ''Culture Vultures: is UK arts policy damaging the arts?'' in February 2006 and was the co-author of the report ''Living Apart Together: British Muslims and the Paradox of Multiculturalism'' in 2007, both published by the [[Policy Exchange]], of which she was an Associate Research Fellow and for whom she also worked as a fundraiser. The Policy Exchange shares offices with conservative think tank [[CChange]], of which [[Dougie Smith]], her now husband, was the co-ordinator. In 2007, she also presented a further BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Fighting Chance’ on professional Sikh fighter Akaash Bhatia. In early 2008, she was working for Tate. In June 2008, she became the Advisor for Arts and Culture Policy of the Greater London Authority under the Conservative administration of [[Boris Johnson]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==LM associations== | ||
| + | Mirza’s career is somewhat parallel to that of [[James Panton]] who also studied at Oxford, co-founded the [[Manifesto Club]] and was published by | ||
| + | Policy Exchange. | ||
| + | |||
| + | *1999 | ||
| + | :Conducted interview on behalf of [[Culture Wars]]<ref>[http://www.illyria.uk.com/CultureWars.htm Interview with Oliver Grey], Illyria website, acc 9 Jan 2011-01-09 | ||
| + | *2001 | ||
| + | :Began regular articles for Culture Wars<ref>[http://www.culturewars.org.uk/index.php/site/contributor/munira_mirza/ Contributors], Culture Wars website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | *2002 | ||
| + | :First article in [[Spiked]] <ref> [http://www.spiked-online.com/articles/00000002D480.htm The offended university] Spiked website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | :Wrote for [[pro-Choice Forum]] <ref>[http://www.prochoiceforum.org.uk/ocrreliss3.php A Posthuman Future?], Pro-Choice Forum website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | *2003 | ||
| + | :Began writing regularly for Spiked <ref> [http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/author/Munira%20Mirza/P20/ Mirza - Articles] Spiked website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | *2004 | ||
| + | :Conducted research on behalf of the [[Institute of Ideas]], <ref>[ http://www.instituteofideas.com/transcripts/policywatch4.pdf Response to ‘Strength in Diversity’ Institute of Ideas, 2004acc 8 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | :Spoke in the [[Institute of Ideas]] Teenage Kicks schools debating event | ||
| + | *2005 | ||
| + | : Convened the Culture strand of and chaired a debate at the first [[Battle of Ideas]] <ref> [http://web.archive.org/web/20061014023932/www.battleofideas.co.uk/C2B/document_tree/ViewACategory.asp?CategoryID=63 For arts sake…?] Battle of Ideas website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | : Spoke at the Institute of Ideas ‘The Right To Be Offensive’ event | ||
| + | : Led a session of the Institute of Ideas Education Forum <ref>[ http://www.instituteofideas.com/events/educationforumarchive.htm Multiculturalism and the promotion of faith schools – steps backwards in education?], Institute of Ideas website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | *2006 | ||
| + | :Sat on the organising committee of the 2006 Battle of Ideas | ||
| + | :Spoke at the Institute of Ideas ‘The Battle for Diversity’ event | ||
| + | :Co-founded the [[Manifesto Club]] with [[Brendan O’Neill]], following which she sat on its steering committee until 2008 and of which she remains a member<ref>[http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/mayor/mayoral-team/munira-mirza Munira Mirza] London.gov.uk acc 8 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | :The report Mirza’s edited for the Policy Exchange, ‘Culture Vultures’ included contributions from [[Josie Appleton]] and [[James Heartfield]]. | ||
| + | *2007 | ||
| + | :The report Mirza co-authored for the Policy Exchange, ‘Living Apart together’ included references to work from Josie Appleton, Andrew Calcutt, [[Kenan Malik]] and [[Brendan O'Neill]]. | ||
| + | :Edited Printed Project 08 artistic freedom – anxiety and aspiration, containing pieces by Josie Appleton, Andrew Calcutt, [[Dolan Cummings]] and [[Pauline Hadaway]]. | ||
| + | : Spoke at the 2007 Battle of Ideas | ||
| + | : Spoke at the [[Huddersfield Salon]] | ||
| + | *2008 | ||
| + | :Contributed a reading to the 2008 Battle of Ideas | ||
| + | *2009 | ||
| + | :Contributed a ‘Battles in Print’ article to the 2009 Battle of Ideas | ||
| + | :Introduced a session of the Institute of Ideas culture Forum | ||
| + | : Led discussion on a WORLDbytes programme [http://www.worldbytes.org/dont-shout-at-the-telly-hate-speech/ Don’t shout at the telly: Hate speech], WORLDbytes website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | :Interviewed by Kenan Malik for BBC Radio 4 episode ‘Are all Muslims the same?’, part of the ‘Islam, Mullahs and the Media’ series | ||
| + | *2010 | ||
| + | :Spoke at the 2010 Battle of Ideas | ||
| + | :The GLA’s Story of London festival 2010, originated and fronted by Mirza and part of her Art and culture portfolio, while it references 100 events, highlighted its Future City series of debates on its website. <ref> [http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/art-culture/storyoflondon Story of London] GLA website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref>The name of the Future City strand is similar to the [[Future Cities Project]] while debates are a LM speciality. The debates provided a platform for [[Daniel Ben-Ami]], James Heartfield, director of [[Audacity]] and author of its principal publication Let’s Build, [[Norman Lewis]], [[Austin Williams]], who runs the [[Future Cities Project]] and chaired one of the sessions, and [[James Woudhuysen]], another director of [[Audacity]]. | ||
| + | :Spoke at the launch of the [[Big Potatoes]] Manifesto <ref>[ http://www.bigpotatoes.org/events/bigpotatoeselection/ Event] Big Potatoes website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | : Judged the [[ManTownHuman]] Winter School <ref>[ http://www.futurecities.org.uk/mantownhuman_home.html ManTownHuman Winter School] Future Cities website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | : Reviewed ‘The Death of the Subject Explained’ by James Heartfield in the International Journal of Cultural Policy <ref>[http://www.ifacca.org/publications/2010/03/25/international-journal-cultural-policy-volume-16-is/ Vol. 16], IFACCA website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | : Is used as a resource by [[Debating Matters]] <ref>[http://www.debatingmatters.com/search/results/726aaecf860647331866a0c74c437e1c/], Debating matters website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | |||
| + | *Undated | ||
| + | :Became signatory no. 230 of the [[Academics for Academic Freedom]] Statement <ref> [http://afaf.web.officelive.com/Third100.aspx Third 100] AFAF website, acc 8 Jan 2011</ref> Mirza is a tour guide trainer for [[WORLDwrite]] <ref> [http://www.worldwrite.org.uk/londonbehindthescenes/trainerbios.html Trainer bios] WORLDwrite website, acc 9 Jan 2011</ref> | ||
| + | :Reviewed Furedi’s Therapy Culture for [[The Great Debate]].<ref>[http://www.thegreatdebate.org.uk/frankfuredi.html Furedi], The Great Debate website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | :On BBC Radio Four’s Great Lives, Mirza’s selection as someone who has inspired her life was political philosopher Hannah Arendt. Arendt has been frequently cited by Frank Furedi as the inspiration for his academic theories. | ||
| + | *Prospect | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Personal== | ||
| + | Mirza is married to [[Dougie Smith]], the ex-vice Chairman of the extreme [[Federation of Conservative Students]], ex-co-ordinator of influential Tory think tank Conservatives for change [[CChange]] and ex-Cameron speechwriter. They live in Balham, South London. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Publications== | ||
| + | |||
| + | : Author, [http://www.instituteofideas.com/transcripts/policywatch4.pdf Response to Strength in Diversity], 2004, Institute of Ideas website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | :Editor, [http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/publications/publication.cgi?id=5 Culture Vultures:is UK arts policy damaging the arts?], 2006, Policy Exchange website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | :Editor, [http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=13459768 Printed Project 08 artistic freedom – anxiety and aspiration] via Institute of Ideas website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | :Co-author, [http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/publications/publication.cgi?id=14 Living apart together: British Muslims and the paradox of multiculturalism], 2007, Policy Exchange website, acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
==Affiliations== | ==Affiliations== | ||
| Line 13: | Line 79: | ||
==Resources== | ==Resources== | ||
| − | * Harry's Place [http://hurryupharry.org/2010/10/03/the-return-of-the-rcp-to-london-city-hall/ The Return of the RCP to London City Hall] | + | *Pippa Crerar [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23487965-culture-chief-off-message-over-tube-drink-ban.do Culture chief off message over tube drink ban] ‘Evening Standard’, 28 May 2008</ref> |
| + | *Rupert Christiansen [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4926641/Munira-Mirza-a-blast-of-fresh-air-for-London.html A blast of fresh air for London], ‘The Telegraph’, 8 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | *Guardian [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/munira_mirza/profile.html Munira Mirza, Profile], ‘Guardian’, acc 25 May 2010 | ||
| + | * Harry's Place, [http://hurryupharry.org/2010/10/03/the-return-of-the-rcp-to-london-city-hall/ The Return of the RCP to London City Hall] Harry’s Place, 3 October 2010 | ||
| + | *Munira Mirza, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2009/jun/07/munira-mirza-culture-adviser-boris-johnson?INTCMP=SRCH My week], ‘The Observer’ acc 9 Jan 2011 | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Contact== | ||
| + | GLA profile [http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/mayor/mayoral-team/munira-mirza Munira Mirza] London.gov.uk ac 8th Jan 2011 | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:LM network|Mirza, Munira]] | [[Category:LM network|Mirza, Munira]] | ||
Revision as of 23:14, 9 January 2011
Munira Mirza is the Advisor for Arts and Culture Policy of the Greater London Authority under the Conservative administration of Boris Johnson and is associated with the libertarian anti-environmental LM network.
According to her former employer, centre right think tank Policy Exchange, “Munira - author of the Policy Exchange pamphlet Culture Vultures - is not a card-carrying Tory member, but is one of a new generation of thinkers behind David Cameron's makeover of the party that is attracting money and fresh ideas.” [1]
Early years
Munira Mirza was born in Oldham in 1978 of Pakistani parents and educated at Breeze Hill comprehensive”. [2]
Student days
Munira studied English at Oxford, graduating in 1999. She has lectured at the University of Kent and the University of East London. She completed a PHD at the University of Kent in 2008 for the sociology department which Frank Furedi heads.
Career
In 2001 she worked as a fundraiser for the Royal Society of Arts. In 2005 she presented ‘The Business of Race’, a two part series for BBC Radio Four on race and diversity. In 2005, she was also conducting interviews for the University of East London’s Rising East initiative, which is run by Andrew Calcutt. In 2006 she was an arts consultant for the London East Research Institute. She edited the report Culture Vultures: is UK arts policy damaging the arts? in February 2006 and was the co-author of the report Living Apart Together: British Muslims and the Paradox of Multiculturalism in 2007, both published by the Policy Exchange, of which she was an Associate Research Fellow and for whom she also worked as a fundraiser. The Policy Exchange shares offices with conservative think tank CChange, of which Dougie Smith, her now husband, was the co-ordinator. In 2007, she also presented a further BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Fighting Chance’ on professional Sikh fighter Akaash Bhatia. In early 2008, she was working for Tate. In June 2008, she became the Advisor for Arts and Culture Policy of the Greater London Authority under the Conservative administration of Boris Johnson.
LM associations
Mirza’s career is somewhat parallel to that of James Panton who also studied at Oxford, co-founded the Manifesto Club and was published by Policy Exchange.
- 1999
- Conducted interview on behalf of Culture WarsCite error: Closing
</ref>missing for<ref>tag - Wrote for pro-Choice Forum [3]
- 2003
- Began writing regularly for Spiked [4]
- 2004
- Conducted research on behalf of the Institute of Ideas, [5]
- Spoke in the Institute of Ideas Teenage Kicks schools debating event
- 2005
- Convened the Culture strand of and chaired a debate at the first Battle of Ideas Cite error: Closing
</ref>missing for<ref>tag - The report Mirza’s edited for the Policy Exchange, ‘Culture Vultures’ included contributions from Josie Appleton and James Heartfield.
- 2007
- The report Mirza co-authored for the Policy Exchange, ‘Living Apart together’ included references to work from Josie Appleton, Andrew Calcutt, Kenan Malik and Brendan O'Neill.
- Edited Printed Project 08 artistic freedom – anxiety and aspiration, containing pieces by Josie Appleton, Andrew Calcutt, Dolan Cummings and Pauline Hadaway.
- Spoke at the 2007 Battle of Ideas
- Spoke at the Huddersfield Salon
- 2008
- Contributed a reading to the 2008 Battle of Ideas
- 2009
- Contributed a ‘Battles in Print’ article to the 2009 Battle of Ideas
- Introduced a session of the Institute of Ideas culture Forum
- Led discussion on a WORLDbytes programme Don’t shout at the telly: Hate speech, WORLDbytes website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- Interviewed by Kenan Malik for BBC Radio 4 episode ‘Are all Muslims the same?’, part of the ‘Islam, Mullahs and the Media’ series
- 2010
- Spoke at the 2010 Battle of Ideas
- The GLA’s Story of London festival 2010, originated and fronted by Mirza and part of her Art and culture portfolio, while it references 100 events, highlighted its Future City series of debates on its website. [6]The name of the Future City strand is similar to the Future Cities Project while debates are a LM speciality. The debates provided a platform for Daniel Ben-Ami, James Heartfield, director of Audacity and author of its principal publication Let’s Build, Norman Lewis, Austin Williams, who runs the Future Cities Project and chaired one of the sessions, and James Woudhuysen, another director of Audacity.
- Spoke at the launch of the Big Potatoes Manifesto [7]
- Judged the ManTownHuman Winter School [8]
- Reviewed ‘The Death of the Subject Explained’ by James Heartfield in the International Journal of Cultural Policy Cite error: Closing
</ref>missing for<ref>tag Mirza is a tour guide trainer for WORLDwrite [9] - Reviewed Furedi’s Therapy Culture for The Great Debate.[10]
- Rupert Christiansen A blast of fresh air for London, ‘The Telegraph’, 8 Jan 2011
- Guardian Munira Mirza, Profile, ‘Guardian’, acc 25 May 2010
- Harry's Place, The Return of the RCP to London City Hall Harry’s Place, 3 October 2010
- Munira Mirza, My week, ‘The Observer’ acc 9 Jan 2011
Contact
GLA profile Munira Mirza London.gov.uk ac 8th Jan 2011
Notes
- ↑ Thinkers behind fresh Tory politics move up in party hierarcy, Policy Exchange website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ A blast of fresh air for London, The Telegraph, acc 8 Jan 2011
- ↑ A Posthuman Future?, Pro-Choice Forum website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ Mirza - Articles Spiked website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ [ http://www.instituteofideas.com/transcripts/policywatch4.pdf Response to ‘Strength in Diversity’ Institute of Ideas, 2004acc 8 Jan 2011
- ↑ Story of London GLA website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ [ http://www.bigpotatoes.org/events/bigpotatoeselection/ Event] Big Potatoes website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ [ http://www.futurecities.org.uk/mantownhuman_home.html ManTownHuman Winter School] Future Cities website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ Trainer bios WORLDwrite website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- ↑ Furedi, The Great Debate website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- On BBC Radio Four’s Great Lives, Mirza’s selection as someone who has inspired her life was political philosopher Hannah Arendt. Arendt has been frequently cited by Frank Furedi as the inspiration for his academic theories.
- Prospect
Personal
Mirza is married to Dougie Smith, the ex-vice Chairman of the extreme Federation of Conservative Students, ex-co-ordinator of influential Tory think tank Conservatives for change CChange and ex-Cameron speechwriter. They live in Balham, South London.
Publications
- Author, Response to Strength in Diversity, 2004, Institute of Ideas website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- Editor, Culture Vultures:is UK arts policy damaging the arts?, 2006, Policy Exchange website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- Editor, Printed Project 08 artistic freedom – anxiety and aspiration via Institute of Ideas website, acc 9 Jan 2011
- Co-author, Living apart together: British Muslims and the paradox of multiculturalism, 2007, Policy Exchange website, acc 9 Jan 2011
Affiliations
- Manifesto Club
- Spiked, has written articles for the website.
- Policy Exchange
Resources
- Pippa Crerar Culture chief off message over tube drink ban ‘Evening Standard’, 28 May 2008
