Centre for Social Cohesion
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
Establishment
Civitas spent £274,669 on the Centre for Social Cohesion Project Fund in 2006. According to its annual report this fund was ""set up to encourage racial and religious harmony."[2]
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[3]
A Degree of Influence
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.' [4]
Personnel
- David Green – Chairman
- Douglas Murray – Director
- David Conway – 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)
- Neill 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)[5]
Authors
- Edmund Standing – Author of the Center's 2009 report on BNP's online activities.
Former Staff
- James Brandon- former Senior Research Fellow
Affiliation
- Civitas
- Based in Clutha House, 10 Storey's Gate, London where Policy Exchange are based
- Henry Jackson Society – thev've co-sponsored events
References, Resources and Contact
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
References
- ↑ About Us (Accessed: 6 September 2007)
- ↑ Civitas Limited: Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 2007 (pdf), Charities Commission, p.13.
- ↑ Francis Elliot, Tories admit David Cameron Islamic schools claim 'had mistakes', The Times, 26 November 2009
- ↑ David Shariatmadari, A study in scare-mongering, The Guardian, 2 April 2009, accessed 2 Mar 2010
- ↑ Who We Are, Centre for Social Cohesion, archived at the Internet Archive, 29 August 2007, accessed 17 February 2010.
