By Robin Simcox
The Iranian government has revealed that it is in talks with British Islamic studies departments to "train and educate experts on Islam". The UK government has subsequently announced these Islamic studies centres are part of its counter-terrorism strategy. The most charitable spin you could put on this is that the government is unaware of whom exactly is funding the centres that they hope are a barrier to stopping radicalisation.
A Degree of Influence: The Funding of Strategically Important Subjects in UK Universities, the report I have written for the Centre for Social Cohesion, looks at a whole range of area studies that have been designated "strategically important" by the government. It shows how some of the UK's finest universities are receiving massive swathes of cash from some of the world's worst regimes, and the ensuing impact this has had on academia. The money has come with a wealth of strings attached.
University management committees at Islamic studies centres in Cambridge and Edinburgh can be partly picked by a Saudi prince following a £16m donation. There is evidence of censorship, with the funder of an art exhibition at the School of Oriental and African Studies allegedly forcing the removal of a photograph from an exhibition on Saudi art after finding it offensive to Islam. Read more ...
The Iranian government has revealed that it is in talks with British Islamic studies departments to "train and educate experts on Islam". The UK government has subsequently announced these Islamic studies centres are part of its counter-terrorism strategy. The most charitable spin you could put on this is that the government is unaware of whom exactly is funding the centres that they hope are a barrier to stopping radicalisation.
A Degree of Influence: The Funding of Strategically Important Subjects in UK Universities, the report I have written for the Centre for Social Cohesion, looks at a whole range of area studies that have been designated "strategically important" by the government. It shows how some of the UK's finest universities are receiving massive swathes of cash from some of the world's worst regimes, and the ensuing impact this has had on academia. The money has come with a wealth of strings attached.
University management committees at Islamic studies centres in Cambridge and Edinburgh can be partly picked by a Saudi prince following a £16m donation. There is evidence of censorship, with the funder of an art exhibition at the School of Oriental and African Studies allegedly forcing the removal of a photograph from an exhibition on Saudi art after finding it offensive to Islam. Read more ...
Source: The Centre For Social Cohesion
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