- International Relations, Political Sociology, European History, Islamic Studies, Feminism, Middle East Studies, and 43 moreEuropean Studies, Governance, International Politics, Migration, Islam, Islamic Political Thought, Islam and Human Rights, Women and Gender Issues in Islam, Religion & the Public Sphere, Political Islam, European Union Politics, Islam in Europe, Muslims in Europe, Politics and Religion, Muslim Minorities, Religion & Politics, Muslim diasporas in Europe and the US, Relations between Church and State, Islam and International Relations, Ecumenism, History of Christianity, Interreligious Dialogue, Social Movements, Transnational Religious Networks, Transnational Social Movements, Transnational migration, Globalization of International Politics, Multiculturalism, Migration Studies, Intercultural Communication, Religion and Politics, Foreign Policy Analysis, Intercultural dialogue, Mediterranean Studies, Catholic Social Teaching, Catholicism, Faith Based Organizations, Ethics and Religion, Freedom of Religion, MENA region, Public Policy, Refugee Studies, and Brexitedit
- Research and teaching fields: Religion and Politics, European Union, Muslims in Europe, Political Islam Background ... moreResearch and teaching fields: Religion and Politics, European Union, Muslims in Europe, Political Islam
Background - Laurea degree: La Sapienza Univ.(Rome, Italy). PhD (2006): Cambridge University where I was Luisa Aldobrandini Scholar at St John's College (2002-2006). Marie Curie Fellow (2003-04): University of Paris. ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow (2006): Centre of International Studies, Cambridge University. Visiting Lecturer, Politics Department, Bristol University (2005-2006). Associate Fellow, Chatham House (2006-2007). Research Consultant to British Council (2006). Head of Islam in Europe Programme, European Policy Centre, Brussels (2007). Senior Advisor, European Policy Centre (2008). Advisory Council Member, Anna Lindh Foundation, Alexandria, Egypt (2008-12). Member of Global Experts group, UN Alliance of Civilisations, NY (2008--). Research Associate, VHI, St Edmund's College, 2006--; Affiliated Lecturer, Cambridge University, 2013; Bye-Fellor, St Edmund's College, Cambridge 2015-edit
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Research Interests: European Studies, International Relations, Multiculturalism, Italian Studies, International Law, and 15 moreHuman Rights, International organizations, Conflict, British Politics, Nationalism, Diplomacy, Islamic Studies, Muslim Minorities, Muslims in Europe, Islam, Ethnicity, Minority Rights, Freedom, Church and State, and International Organizations
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Research Interests: Christianity, European Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Political Science, Africa, and 15 moreIslamic Studies, Conflict Resolution, Islam, Martyrdom, Peace Studies, Judaism, Interfaith Dialogue, Peacebuilding, Mali, Peacemaking and Interfaith Dialogue, Hamas, Peace and Conflicts Studies, Israel Palestine, British Academy, and J
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Social cohesion is today at the core business of intercultural relations. Through the prism of religious beliefs and cultural diversity, Sara Silvestri analyses the quality of interactions among the citizens of the EuroMediterranean... more
Social cohesion is today at the core business of intercultural relations. Through the prism of religious beliefs and cultural diversity, Sara Silvestri analyses the quality of interactions among the citizens of the EuroMediterranean region, as well as potential areas of convergence around key values and sensitive topics. She reflects on the evolution of trends between the two Anna Lindh/Gallup surveys, positively observing a coming together around the importance of family solidarity, and openness to pluralism within societies.
Research Interests: Religion, Sociology, Sociology of Religion, European Studies, Multiculturalism, and 13 moreIntercultural Communication, Religion and Politics, Intercultural Education, Mediterranean Studies, Migration Studies, Diversity & Inclusion, Cultural Diversity, Solidarity, Social cohesion, Religious Diversity, Barcelona Process and Union for the Mediterranean, Openness to experience, and H
The last few years have witnessed a flurry of interest and activity around religion and religious engagement in diplomatic circles on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2013, the US State Department established a new Office of Faith-Based... more
The last few years have witnessed a flurry of interest and activity around religion and religious engagement in diplomatic circles on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2013, the US State Department established a new Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives as part of a broader national strategy on religious leadership and faith community engagement led by the White House’s National Security Council. Within the same year, the European Union issued new guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief; the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development opened a new office focused on similar issues; and the French Foreign Ministry sponsored a major conference on the question of religion and foreign policy with a keynote address delivered by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
Research Interests: Religion, Public Administration, Foreign Policy Analysis, Religion and Politics, Public Diplomacy, and 14 morePolitical Science, Law and Religion, Foreign Policy, Faith Based Organizations, Diplomacy, European Union, Politics and Religion, Faith, Secularisms and Secularities, Separation of Church and State, Public Policy Analysis, European Union external relations, European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Inter-faith Contact and Theology
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Research Interests: Sociology, Political Economy, Multiculturalism, Foreign Policy Analysis, Italian Studies, and 12 moreReligion and Politics, Immigration, Political Science, Politics, Immigration And Integration In Europe, Italian Politics, European Foreign Policy, Islamic Studies, Migration Studies, Muslims in Europe, Italy, and JV
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There exist many parallels between the experiences of Irish communities in Britain in the past and those of Muslim communities today. However, although they have both been the subject of negative stereotyping, intelligence profiling,... more
There exist many parallels between the experiences of Irish communities in Britain in the past and those of Muslim communities today. However, although they have both been the subject of negative stereotyping, intelligence profiling, wrongful arrest and prejudice, little research has been carried out comparing how these communities are represented in the media. This article addresses this gap by mapping British press coverage of events involving Irish and Muslim communities that occurred between 1974 and 2007. The analysis shows that both sets of communities have been represented as ‘suspect’ to different degrees, which the article attributes to varying perceptions within the press as to the nature of the threat Irish and Muslim communities are thought to pose to Britain. The article concludes that a central concern of the press lies with defending its own constructions of Britishness against perceived extremists, and against abuses of power and authority by the state security appar...
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... Attention is drawn to the fluidity of religious adherence, the effect of national cultural-politicalimaginaries, and the spiritual and intellectual efforts involved in 'living religion ... View all notes. that does... more
... Attention is drawn to the fluidity of religious adherence, the effect of national cultural-politicalimaginaries, and the spiritual and intellectual efforts involved in 'living religion ... View all notes. that does not allow much room for religious institutions and sectarian or gender segregation. ...
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ABSTRACT Irish and Muslim communities in Britain are, or have often been, constructed negatively in public discourse, where they have been associated with terrorism and extremism. Despite similarities in the experiences of these... more
ABSTRACT Irish and Muslim communities in Britain are, or have often been, constructed negatively in public discourse, where they have been associated with terrorism and extremism. Despite similarities in the experiences of these communities, little comparative research has been conducted. We address this gap by implementing a critical discourse analysis of national and diaspora press coverage of events involving Irish and Muslim communities that occurred in Great Britain between 1974 and 2007. We identified a consensus within the press that “law-abiding” Irish and Muslim people must stand up against “extremists” within their ranks and defend what newsmakers perceive are British values; in this way Irish and Muslim communities are constructed as both inside and outside Britishness. We conclude that the construction of these communities as “suspect” happens mostly in the ambiguity of news discourse, which contributes to fostering a socio-political climate that has permitted civil liberties to be violated by the state security apparatus.
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The migration crisis is analysed here in the context of the fundamental challenges which Italy faces through becoming a country of immigration in a period of recession. It is argued that there has been no serious debate in Italy on... more
The migration crisis is analysed here in the context of the fundamental challenges which Italy faces through becoming a country of immigration in a period of recession. It is argued that there has been no serious debate in Italy on multiculturalism, or on religious freedom, despite the growing socio-cultural and religious diversity arising from population movements and international conflict. The analysis begins with the Italian government's attempts in 2015 to deal with migration and diversity, and the associated domestic conflicts at the levels of both party politics and society. This leads to a discussion of the meaning of the Christian/Catholic identity of the country in its changed conditions. The external dimension of Italian politics is examined in terms of both Rome's impatient calls for EU help and the weak political position of Italy in relation to the root causes of migration, whether through intervention or diplomatic influence
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The British Academy's latest international policy report explores how the role of religion in conflict and peacebuilding has all too often been depicted in binary terms, which have obscured the complexity of the subject. The report... more
The British Academy's latest international policy report explores how the role of religion in conflict and peacebuilding has all too often been depicted in binary terms, which have obscured the complexity of the subject.
The report argues that religion is never a static or isolated entity but should rather be understood as a fluid system of variables, contingent upon a large number of contextual and historical factors. By observing how religion operates and interacts with other aspects of the human experience at the global, institutional, group and individual levels, this report aims to gain a more nuanced understanding of its role (or potential role) in both conflict and peacebuilding
The report argues that religion is never a static or isolated entity but should rather be understood as a fluid system of variables, contingent upon a large number of contextual and historical factors. By observing how religion operates and interacts with other aspects of the human experience at the global, institutional, group and individual levels, this report aims to gain a more nuanced understanding of its role (or potential role) in both conflict and peacebuilding
Research Interests: Christianity, Political Sociology, Sociology of Religion, European Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, and 19 moreTheology, Terrorism, Religion and Politics, Africa, Political Violence and Terrorism, Israel/Palestine, Islamic Studies, Conflict Resolution, Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding, Islam, Martyrdom, Peace Studies, Judaism, Interfaith Dialogue, Mali, Western Balkans, Peacemaking and Interfaith Dialogue, Hamas, and Peace and Conflicts Studies
Research Interests: Religion, Foreign Policy Analysis, Religion and Politics, Public Diplomacy, Law and Religion, and 10 moreFaith Based Organizations, Diplomacy, European Union, Politics and Religion, Secularisms and Secularities, Separation of Church and State, Public Policy Analysis, European Union external relations, European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Inter-faith Contact and Theology
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An analysis of the themes of religion, social cohesion and religious and cultural diversity emerging from the second Gallup/Anna Lindh Poll of the Euro-Mediterranean region. Published in the Anna Lind Report 2014, Alexandria, 2014. Also... more
An analysis of the themes of religion, social cohesion and religious and cultural diversity emerging from the second Gallup/Anna Lindh Poll of the Euro-Mediterranean region. Published in the Anna Lind Report 2014, Alexandria, 2014. Also available in French and Arabic from the ALF website: http://www.annalindhfoundation.org/download-full-reports
Research Interests: Religion, Sociology of Religion, European Studies, Multiculturalism, Intercultural Communication, and 17 morePublic Opinion, Middle East Studies, Religion and Politics, Intercultural Education, Mediterranean Studies, Migration Studies, Diversity & Inclusion, Cultural Diversity, Intercultural dialogue, Social cohesion, Interculturalidad, Religious Diversity, Barcelona Process and Union for the Mediterranean, European Union, European Foreign Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy, Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, Union for the Mediterranean, Eastern Partnership, Foreign Policy Analysis, Principal-Agent, Middle East and North Africa, Public Opinion Polling, and Intercultural Dialogue and Cross Cultural Encounters
The deadly attacks in Norway are fuelling debate about multiculturalism, immigration, security and radicalisation. But more attention must also be paid to the behaviours and attitudes that underlie extreme political violence, says Sara... more
The deadly attacks in Norway are fuelling debate about multiculturalism, immigration, security and radicalisation. But more attention must also be paid to the behaviours and attitudes that underlie extreme political violence, says Sara Silvestri. The perpetrator of the horrible attacks of 22 July 2011 in Norway accompanied his inhuman deeds with propaganda materials that mix condemnation of his most hated targets (Marxism, Islam, immigration, multiculturalism) with glorification of medieval knights and crusaders. The moving reaction of the Norwegian people and leaders has been an impressive answer to Anders Behring Breivik's hateful actions. But it is inevitable that the tragedy will provoke further debates there and across Europe on such questions as multiculturalism, immigration, radicalisation, and security. The chance of these debates proving useful or enlightening will depend in large part on their being conducted reasonably, by agreeing on a shared starting-point and avoiding easy scapegoating. But they also will require something else: becoming more aware than before of the kinds of behaviours and attitudes that can move people such as Breivik to think and act in violent ways. These include self-isolation (and mutually-supportive isolation) on the net, the targeting of people according to the category they are supposed to belong to, and the division of the world into like-minded (good) and differently-minded (bad). The living process Before addressing these deep-rooted problems, there is much that can be done by clarifying the terms of debate on issues such as multiculturalism. The notion remains fuzzy and contested, and there are many models and philosophical accounts of it as (variously) a public policy, a political doctrine, and a social fact. But the framing of a reasoned debate about it needs to take account of realities that will continue to exist whatever attitudes are adopted to the subject conceived in the abstract. These include the fact that European citizens are (willingly or unwillingly) living in societies that are increasingly diverse in terms of (for example) culture, language, religion, and sexual orientation. This is one of the social transformations that are happening all the time and can hardly be reversed. This is also what history is about, and it has produced great human achievements. Civilisation has progressed because cultures have met and interacted. Everyone is the product of a métissage: cultures and identities are by definition fluid, and cannot be static or pure. Moreover, just as individuals change throughout their lives, so do societies. As they do so there is a tendency to rewrite the past as a golden age, but this is both a myth and a retrospective creation. There is a great need for policies that enable people to cope with this social change and increasing diversity, promote respect for all human beings, and encourage a sense of the common good. If very few would object to such an approach (which could be called a " broad " form of multiculturalism), more would question its " narrow " form as a policy that allows or even encourages communalism, fragmentation, and enclave mentalities. But where there are such problems, they can in principle be addressed and corrected, as happens in other policy areas (such as finance or technology). Yet at this level the discussion of multiculturalism (and the same is true of other issues raised by the Norwegian catastrophe, such as security and radicalisation) does not touch the deeper currents (emotional or psychological) that are under the surface. It seems that no debate about the benefits or costs of multiculturalism-and most public argument in Europe in recent years has focused on the latter-reaches PrintFriendly.com: Print web pages, create PDFs
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Research Interests: Gender Studies, Women's Studies, Religion and Politics, Islam in Europe, Islamic Studies, and 18 moreWomen and Gender Issues in Islam, Postcolonial Theory, Muslims in Europe, The Niqab Debate, Muslim Women, Gender and Sexualities, Hijab, Transnational Feminisms, Gender and Citizenship, Feminist Methodologies, Dressing, Burqa, Veiling and Embodiment, Women and Political Islam, Covering of Face, Covering of Hair, Niqab, and Chador
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Research Interests: Christianity, European Studies, International Relations, Policy Analysis/Policy Studies, Multiculturalism, and 13 moreIntercultural Communication, European Catholicism, Religion and Politics, Political Science, Contemporary Christianity, European Union, Islamic Studies, Muslim Minorities, Turkey And Europe, Migration Studies, Muslims in Europe, International institutions, and Public Policy
Research Interests: European Studies, International Relations, International Relations, Multiculturalism, Italian Studies, and 19 moreInternational Law, Human Rights, International organizations, Conflict, Security, Security, British Politics, Nationalism, Diplomacy, Islamic Studies, Muslim Minorities, Muslims in Europe, Separation of Church and State, Ethnicity, Minority Rights, Peace, Freedom, Church and State, and Religion in Public Sphere
Research Interests: Religion, Sociology of Religion, European Studies, Gender Studies, Multiculturalism, and 22 moreWomen's Studies, Feminist Theory, International Human Rights Law, Human Resource Management, Islamic Studies, Women and Gender Issues in Islam, Muslim Minorities, Migration Studies, Faith, Muslims in Europe, Islamic feminism, International Refugee Law, Women and Work, Minority Rights, Intersectionality, Spiritual Development, Faith and Reason, Qualitative Methodologies, Equality and Non Discrimination, Anthropology of Religion, Life Histories Methodology, and Employment Equity Policies
Research Interests: European Studies, Irish Studies, Multiculturalism, Transnationalism, Qualitative methodology, and 18 moreImmigration, British Politics, Security Studies, Political Violence and Terrorism, Political Extremism/Radicalism/Populism, Immigration And Integration In Europe, Islamic Studies, Muslim Minorities, Migration Studies, Muslims in Europe, British and Irish History, Counter terrorism, Social Class, Minority Rights, Identity, Critical Terrorism Studies, Immigrant integration, and European Union Policies
Research Interests: European Studies, German Studies, Law, International Relations, International Relations, and 35 morePolicy Analysis/Policy Studies, Public Administration, Multiculturalism, Spanish Studies, Italian Studies, International Law, Human Rights, Religion and Politics, International organizations, Conflict, Security, Security, Political Science, Political Violence and Terrorism, Political Extremism/Radicalism/Populism, Nationalism, Islam in Europe, Diplomacy, European Union, Muslim Minorities, Muslims in Europe, French Politics, Separation of Church and State, Ethnicity, Counter terrorism, Minority Rights, Peace, Belgian politics, Freedom, Relations between Church and State, Islam in Germany, Public Administration and Policy, Political Economy and History, Religion and the Public Sphere, and Public Policy
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Research Interests: Religion, Eastern European Studies, European Studies, International Relations, International Relations, and 25 moreMulticulturalism, Intercultural Communication, Public Opinion, Middle East Studies, Middle East & North Africa, International Law, Human Rights, Diversity, International organizations, Conflict, Security, Security, Nationalism, Mediterranean Studies, Diplomacy, European Union, Ethnicity, Minority Rights, InterCultural Studies, Intercultural dialogue, Peace, Interculturalidad, Freedom, European Union, European Foreign Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy, Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, Union for the Mediterranean, Eastern Partnership, Foreign Policy Analysis, Principal-Agent, and Public Opinion Polling
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The series of terrorist attacks carried out across the globe over the past two decades by individuals and groups claiming legitimacy for their actions in the name of Islam, and especially the escalation of violence that the world has... more
The series of terrorist attacks carried out across the globe over the past two decades by individuals and groups claiming legitimacy for their actions in the name of Islam, and especially the escalation of violence that the world has witnessed since 11 September ...