Centre for Social Cohesion

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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.

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

Advisory Council

Authors

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

Former Staff

Affiliation

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

  1. About Us (Accessed: 6 September 2007)
  2. Civitas Limited: Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 2007 (pdf), Charities Commission, p.13.
  3. Francis Elliot, Tories admit David Cameron Islamic schools claim 'had mistakes', The Times, 26 November 2009
  4. David Shariatmadari, [A study in scare-mongering], The Guardian, 2 April 2009
  5. Who We Are, Centre for Social Cohesion, archived at the Internet Archive, 29 August 2007, accessed 17 February 2010.