UNESCO CHAIR Comparative Research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice

Transcription

1 UNESCO CHAIR Comparative Research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice Report

2 UNESCO/UNITWIN would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and meet. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present and Elders from other communities.

3 Contents Forward from Vice-Chancellor 4 Welcome from UNESCO Chair 5 About the UNESCO Chair 6 UNESCO Chair team 8 Research on cultural diversity and social justice 12 Collaboration and capacity building with the Global South 18 Knowledge transfer 20 Training the next generation of researchers 28 Fostering intercultural dialogue for the rapprochement of cultures 30 Dissemination: Informing public debate and shaping policy directions 36 UniTwin Network 46

4 Forward from the Vice-Chancellor It s impossible to overestimate the importance of intercultural dialogue and knowledge exchange today. It fosters equality, human dignity, and a sense of a common purpose. In a world where we witness growing intolerance, discrimination and violence based on culture or belief, intercultural dialogue is one of the most important tools to promote tolerance, sustainable peace, stability and economic development. Deakin is proud that a Chair of this prestige, a Chair which takes a global and cross disciplinary lead on such an important international issue is located at Deakin, under the leadership, expertise and advocacy of Professor Fethi Mansouri. The work of Professor Mansouri and the UNESCO Chair s team has ensured that Deakin provides an important forum for communities and government to examine the critical issues of diversity and social justice. It provides a platform that very successfully brings together researchers, policy makers and communities to develop research that is making a real difference to the lived experience of individuals and communities in our globally connected world. Professor Jane den Hollander AO President and Vice-Chancellor 4

5 Dear Colleagues and Friends, Welcome from the UNESCOChair In a rapidly changing world, the UNESCO Chair team has remained focused on high quality research, transformative education and high impact activities that together aim to foster effective dialogue that acknowledges and respects the inherent value of all peoples and cultures. Our collaborative, multidisciplinary research, focused on real world problems, continues to generate tangible outcomes that inform best-practice programs and policy. In its first four years, the UNESCO Chair team has generated significant new research on cultural diversity and social justice, promoted intercultural dialogue, developed new opportunities for higher education and training, and in collaboration with partners, ensured that building capacity and knowledge translation are at the core of everything that the Chair does. Cognizant of the importance of sustainable human development, and of opportunities to engage with the Global South, our research agenda has significantly contributed to capacity building in the key areas of democratic governance, intercultural education, youth leadership training and the management of cultural diversity in Australia and across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. We are particularly proud of our successive projects on democratization, civil society and youth empowerment in post-arab spring Tunisia, and our ongoing partnerships with key organisations in the Global South. By nurturing meaningful relationships with collaborators, funding partners, policy-makers, and communities, the UNESCO Chair team has conducted and disseminated research which makes a tangible difference to the lived experiences of individuals and their communities. Research training, mentoring and capacity building are core to our mission and inherently embedded in all our activities and programs. Since its establishment in August 2013, the UNESCO Chair team has trained and mentored more than 20 doctoral researchers, created numerous fellowships, scholarships, and internships for emerging scholars, and convened numerous workshops, seminars and lectures. Celebration of and engagement with cultural diversity have been fundamental to our agenda. Through a program of high impact activities and targeted events which foster mutual understanding, celebrate diversity and support social cohesion, the UNESCO Chair team has promoted intercultural dialogue as a paradigm aligned with UNESCO s own international decade for the rapprochement of cultures. Now in its fifth year, the UNESCO Chair s Annual Oration series features preeminent global thinkers in social justice, cultural diversity and human rights. In 2015, we were particularly proud to host Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Rigoberta Menchú. The details of her lecture can be found within this report. We look forward to continuing to produce significant and meaningful research, and in collaboration with our partners, to build capacity and engage with cutting edge research and education both locally and globally. Alfred Deakin Professor Fethi Mansouri UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice Deakin University -Australia. 5

6 About the UNESCO Chair Vision and mission The UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice is committed to conducting high impact research aligned with UNESCO s core objectives, as well as fostering effective dialogue that acknowledges and respects the value and integrity of all peoples and cultures. To this end, the Chair and his team engage in collaborative multidisciplinary research, which works towards ensuring that cultural diversity is accepted and embraced as a core tenet of contemporary society. With a special focus on issues confronting more vulnerable communities (in particular Indigenous, African, migrant, youth and women), the UNESCO Chair functions as a think tank and bridge builder between researchers, civil society and policy makers interested in critical issues shaping and impacting upon the interplay between cultural diversity and social justice. Education Research training and mentoring, particularly of emerging and doctoral scholars, are core to the UNESCO Chair s program. Through dedicated research fellowships and higher degree by research scholarships, the UNESCO Chair has supported and trained a new generation of leading thinkers in the social sciences and humanities. The Chair places particular emphasis on training and education for scholars from the global South, and has created dedicated opportunities and support structures to facilitate such participation. These priorities and programs reflect the Chair s broader commitment to the transformative impact of knowledge and education. 6

7 Research The research program implemented under the auspices of the Chair is multi-disciplinary in its approach and comparative in its application. Investigating the manifestations and implications of diversity and justice domestically, regionally and in the international arena. The Chair and affiliated researchers and doctoral students are committed to high-impact research excellence, producing and disseminating knowledge which makes a difference to the lived experiences of individuals and their communities. Research projects led by the Chair are closely aligned with UNESCO s strategic goals in particular its international decade for the rapprochement of cultures with its emphasis on social peace, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue. The Chair s agenda is also cognizant of the importance of human development in particular in the least developed counties in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Chair s projects have made a significant contribution to capacity building in the key areas of governance, education, leadership training and the management of cultural diversity both in Australia, regionally and across Africa and the Middle East. The successive projects on civil society and youth empowerment in post-arab spring Tunisia are good cases in point. The Chair s cutting-edge research on youth from vulnerable communities, addressing critical areas such as social marginalisation, identity formation, discrimination, radicalisation, violence and security reinforces and facilitates meaningful dialogue among cultures in the pursuit of intercultural understanding and social justice. 7

8 UNESCO Chair team Alfred Deakin Professor Fethi Mansouri: UNESCO Chair Professor Fethi Mansouri holds a Deakin University research chair in migration and intercultural studies and is the Director of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation. In 2013, he was awarded a UNESCO Chair in comparative research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Citizenship and Globalisation Studies, editor of the Journal of Intercultural Studies (Routledge) and founding co-editor of the international journal of Social Inclusion (Cogitatio). Professor Mansouri is a global expert advisor to the United Nations (Alliance of Civilisations) on cultural diversity and intercultural relations and is a prominent scholar nationally and internationally. Professor Mansouri has won more than thirty competitive grants (including eight ARC grants); published sixteen books, ten major research monographs, more than seventy refereed research articles and book chapters, and presented more than 200 invited conference papers at national and international symposia. "Ultimately we hope to create a think tank and be a bridge builder between researchers, civil society and policy makers interested in the critical issues of cultural diversity and social justice. 8

9 Dr. Amanuel Elias: Research Fellow Dr. Amanuel Elias is research fellow to the UNESCO Chair. He received a Masters in Economics from Monash University and a Ph.D. in health economics from Deakin University. His latest research estimated the economic cost of racial discrimination in Australia. Dr Elias s research interests include the socio-economic and health impacts of racial discrimination; experiences of migrants and cultural minorities; and intercultural relations and cultural diversity. Ms Sarah Al-Sheikh Cheikh-Husain: PhD Candidate Ms Sarah Cheikh-Husain is the recipient of the PhD Scholarship for the UN- ESCO Chair. Her previous research examined the representation of Arabs and Muslims as a minority group in picture books published in Western countries by adopting textual and semiotic critical analysis framework. Her research areas include Muslim minority inclusion, social cohesion, intercultural understanding, multiculturalism and evolving Islamophobia down under. Ms Natalia Pereira: PhD Candidate Natalia Pereira is the recipient of the PhD scholarship for the UNESCO Chair in comparative research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice. Her research areas include youth development, criminal deportations, international development, human rights and migration trends within the global south. Ms Scheherazade Bloul: PhD Candidate Scheherazade Bloul is the recipient of the PhD scholsrship for the UNESCO Chair. Her previous research focused on Islamic modest fashion as multi-use intermediary specifically via digital communication technologies and representations of Muslim women in Australian media. Coming from a media background, her interdisciplinary research interests include the intersections of digital media, youth and political participation, journalism and communication studies. Most recently, she has been selected to facilitate the Australian Middle East Journalism Exchange, a CAAR-supported tour for Australian journalism students to the Middle East. 9

10 Dr. David Tittensor: Research Fellow Dr David Tittensor was an Associate Research Fellow to the UNESCO Chair ( ). Dr Tittensor s research interests include Muslim movements, Turkish politics and society, religion and development, and the Middle East. Ms Cayla Edwards: Executive Officer Ms Cayla Edwards is the Executive Officer to the UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice. She also provides executive and governance support to the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation. 10

11 Dr. Matteo Vergani: Affiliated Researcher Dr Matteo Vergani obtained a PhD at Monash University with a quantitative thesis on the psychological antecedents of violent political attitudes and a PhD at the Catholic University of Milan, with a qualitative thesis on the party activism in the former Italian Communist Party. Dr Vergani s research interests include the factors that explain why people become more open to extremism and engage in political violence, the impact of extremism and the factors that can prevent political violence (CVE, social cohesion, resilience). Dr. Zouhir Gabsi Affiliated Researcher Dr Zouhir Gabsi is a lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. He has wide interests in research including language teaching, minority languages and more recently Islamophobia, Arab Spring, Youth Identity and Islamic Discourse. Dr. Riccardo Armillei: Associate Research Fellow Dr Riccardo Armillei was an Associate Research Fellow to the UNESCO Chair ( ).Dr Armillei undertook his Ph.D. at the Swinburne Institute for Social Research where he examined the social exclusion of Romani ( Gypsy ) peoples in Italy. His research interests include forced migrations, minority groups, cross-cultural theories and practices. Ms Tara Brennan: Administration Assistant Ms Tara Brennan is the Administration Assistant to the UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice. 11

12 Research on cultural diversity and social justice Research Income One of Professor Mansouri s many goals as the UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice, has been ensuring cultural diversity is accepted and embraced as a core tenet of contemporary society and humanity at large, and not just as an issue for public debate. This approach to cultural diversity required engagement with education and pedagogical interventions as well as deliberative interventions in the policy-making arena. The Chair has undertaken multiple projects with a special focus on socio-political issues confronting African Diaspora communities, migrant youth, Muslims and women. Since its inception in 2013, the UNESCO Chair team has developed an innovative multidisciplinary research program built around five key intersecting themes namely: (i) the pedagogical and ethical challenges of intercultural relations; (ii) the democratic governance of cultural diversity; (iii) intercultural and inter-faith dialogue as a conflict resolution tool; (iv) global processes affecting local intercultural relations; and (v) youth and civil societies in the context of the Arab spring political transformations. 12

13 Research Partnerships Selected partners include Australian Intercultural Society (Australia) Australian Multicultural Foundation (Australia) Australian Muslim Women s Centre for Human Rights (Australia) Centre for Multicultural Youth (Australia) In support of sustainable research programs with tangible outcomes, the UNESCO Chair has nurtured strong and mutually beneficial partnerships with government, non-government, community organisations and tertiary education institutions. City University of New York (USA) Council for Australian-Arab Relations (Australia) Coventry University (UK) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) Diversity Arts (Australia) Ethnic Communities Council Victoria (Australia) Globesight Studies Centre (UAE) International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (Tunisia) Since 2013, the UNESCO Chair has been successful in securing externally funded research grants worth nearly USD $1 million. Maghreb Economic Forum (Tunisia) Museum Victoria (Australia) Research Institute on Social Cohesion (Australia) Scanlon Foundation (Australia) University of Ottawa (Canada) University of Paris 13 (France) Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet (Australia) Victorian Multicultural Commission (Australia) The predominant source of funding for the research conducted by the UNESCO Chair team, has been prestigious grants from the Australian Research Council, as well as grants from both the Australian and Victorian government. VicHealth (Australia) 13

14 Selected funded research projects led by the Chair-holder: Islamic Religiosity and the Challenge of Political Engagement and National belonging in Multicultural Cities Professor Fethi Mansouri, Dr Michele Lobo and Professor Bryan Turner, funded by the Australian Research Council Discovery Scheme. This Australian Government funded study provides insights into the role of Islamic beliefs, rituals, and faith-based community practices in shaping experiences of active citizenship, belonging, and political engagement in three countries: Australia, France, and the USA. The project report calls for a re-balancing of public debates and policy approaches, which currently tend to securitize and problematize Islamic religiosity. By examining the diverse articulations of Islamic religiosity in Western public spaces, meaning can be discerned. These notions serve to promote intercultural understanding and belonging, and must be more prominent in public discourse. The preliminary findings from this research were shared at several workshops and symposia. In 2015, the Chair-holder convened a two-day international conference titled The Muslim Question, Citizenship and Racism. Opened by the Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, the conference brought together experts and policy makers from Australia and overseas. It also highlighted the latest empirically backed thinking and provided a platform for considered and informed discussion. Findings from this research have significant policy implications related to the need to reshape the public discourse on Islamic religiosity and redesign policy approaches in relation to Islam and its practice. 14

15 Intercultural Understanding in Primary and Secondary Schools Professor Christine Halse, Professor Fethi Mansouri, Associate Professor Colin Arrowsmith, Professor Julianne Moss, Dr Ruth Arber, Dr Nida Denson, Dr Naomi Priest, and Dr Joanne O Mara, funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Scheme with the Department of Education and Training Victoria, Together for Humanity Foundation, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and Pukunui Technology. The study found that the most interculturally capable students attended schools that: i) have a strong, explicit and well-established culture of racial, religious and cultural equality in all areas of its operations; and ii) Actively integrated the knowledge, attitudes and skills required for respectful engagement with diversity across all members of the school community, including students, teachers and parents. Doing Diversity: Intercultural understanding in primary and secondary schools was a three year, multi-method program of research involving intensive work in 12 diverse schools in Melbourne, Victoria, that examined the facilitators and impediments to the intercultural capabilities described in the Victorian and Australian curricula for students and schools. Link to the full report: 15

16 Revitalising Multiculturalism via Deliberative Interventions Professor Fethi Mansouri and Dr David Tittensor, funded by the Victorian Government s Social Cohesion Research Grants Scheme. This research investigates how the emerging social realities of security risks affect our daily engagement with diversity. In partnership with the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria and the Australian Intercultural Society, the project examines whether deliberative intercultural dialogue interventions can contribute to multiculturalism. Data generated from this project will contribute to the Victorian Government s Strategic Framework to Strengthen Victoria s Social Cohesion and the Resilience of its Communities and will feed into innovative policy frameworks. Youth as Global Citizens in Multicultural Societies Professor Fethi Mansouri, funded by the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet. The Youth as Global Citizens in Multicultural Societies Research Project explores young peoples' experiences, opportunities and challenges of living in a culturally diverse and global society. The project explores intercultural relationships and the use of digital technologies to understand what it means to be a locally connected, global citizen. The project will specifically examine intercultural understanding as a key strategy to foster social cohesion, belonging and global citizenship. Employing youth-led research methods, the project will generate understandings of how multicultural youth develop and mobilise intercultural capital and global citizenship ethics whilst navigating a range of everyday social experiences and structural settings. 16

17 The Development of a National Evidence Base for Cultural Diversity in the Arts Professor Fethi Mansouri, Professor Yin Paradies, Associate Professor Dawn Joseph, and Associate Professor Danny Ben-Moshe, funded by Diversity Arts Australia. Conducted in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia, this project delivered a research framework that informs and guides the development of a national evidence base for cultural diversity in the arts. The project has developed an evaluative tool to measure the participation of CALD artists in the mainstream arts sector. The research and its resulting report will equip Diversity Arts Australia with the means to engage with groups and organisations within the mainstream arts sector to advance cultural diversity. Intergenerational Relations in New Arrival Communities in Victoria Professor Fethi Mansouri, Associate Professor Danny Ben-Moshe and Dr Victoria Stead, funded by the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria. This exploratory research examined the nature of relations between parents and adolescents in newly-arrived migrant communities in Victoria as they negotiate the challenges of migration, settlement and integration. While coming of age is often a difficult period for young people and their families, the findings highlight how this is compounded for newly arrived migrant youth and their parents due to the challenges of migration. The findings raise a number of policy and practice considerations for those working with these migrant families and their communities. In particular, in detailing social, cultural and financial challenges, the findings highlight the importance of integrated policy and service provisions, which understand and address the intergenerational strain placed on newly - arrived migrant families within their broader context. The report also clearly recommends meaningful family and community involvement in creating and enacting policy and practice solutions. Link to the full report: data/assets/pdf_file/0007/804841/ ECCV_Intergenerational-Report_Final pdf.pdf 17

18 Collaboration and capacity building with the Global South In partnership with the Council of Australian-Arab Relations, a division of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the UNESCO Chair has developed a multi-year program of capacity building activities involving civil society, women and youth from the global South.This program has brought delegations of Tunisian and Indonesian academics, students and representatives from peak civil society organisations to Australia to participate in training, workshops and networking activities along key themes. These capacity building activities with the Global South are core to the UNESCO Chair s research and training programs, as well as the priorities of UNESCO more broadly. Fostering new and ongoing partnerships between academic experts and civil society practitioners in the Global North and South is a key achievement of this program, alongside capacity building and academic research. Since 2015, the UNESCO Chair has accompanied Tunisian delegations to Australia s capital city to deliver seminars at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, as well as participate in meetings with the Tunisian Ambassador to Australia and staff of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These opportunities for networking and collaboration with diplomats and policy-makers are key to the UNESCO Chair s program of capacity-building and supporting real world research impact. 18

19 Theme One: Civil society, women and democracy In 2015, the UNESCO Chair sponsored a delegation of Tunisian women to travel to Australia to participate in symposia and workshops exploring critical reflections on the role of civil society in the Tunisian revolution. Through a series of activities and events, the Tunisian delegation, with Australian academics, civil society representatives and policy-makers, participated in dynamic sessions exploring women, politics and power, and the roles and experiences of youth in the Tunisian revolution. The program also included a special question and answer session exploring the role and experiences of women in the Tunisian revolution. During their stay in Melbourne, participants led discussion in a UNESCO Chair convened workshop titled Civil society, women and democracy, an interactive round-table which critically discussed the role of civil society organisations and women in democratic transition. Theme Two: Local governance and democratic transition In 2016, the UNESCO Chair brought together delegations of key civil society figures and academics from Tunisia and Indonesia to share learnings around youth engagement and consensus building as a means of working towards democratic consolidation at a local level. The delegation, in collaboration with Australian-based participants explored the complexities of decentralisation and the development of local democracy. The delegation also participated in a workshop with academics and doctoral researchers to examine the contested and misunderstood topic of Islam and democracy, facilitating dynamic and provocative conversations about Islam, Muslim societies and the factors that assist and hinder political and social reform. Participants considered critical issues in institution building, social change, economic reform, Islamic thought and civil society dynamics. 19

20 Knowledge transfer High quality research dissemination is a fundamental pillar of academic excellence. Through high-impact scholarly publications, including scholarly books, refereed journal articles and chapters, the UNESCO Chair and affiliated researchers have made a significant contribution to the growth of knowledge world-wide. 20

21 21

22 Publishing high-impact research Interculturalism at the crossroads: comparative perspectives on concepts, policies and practices Mansouri, F. (ed.) Interculturalism at the Crossroads, Comparative Perspectives on Concepts, Policies and Practices. Paris, UNESCO Publishing. Today most societies across the world are witnessing rising levels of social and cultural diversity brought about by globalisation and in particular, increased human mobility and significant advances in information and communications technologies. The dilemma, therefore, has been how best to manage the resultant diversity and what optimal social policy paradigms to adopt towards this end. Assimilation, multiculturalism and presently Interculturalism have all been proposed as possible policy conduits for managing socio-cultural diversity. This book, in focusing on the latter concept, and in particular in its intercultural dialogue manifestation, offers at once theoretical examinations, policy discussion and practical explorations of its uptake across the world. The core argument connecting the book s three distinct sections is that whilst assimilation in its racist manifestation is no longer a viable option in today s world, intercultural dialogue within existing multicultural settings has much to offer. Link to full publication org/images/0024/002480/248066e.pdf 22

23 The Politics of Women and Migration in the Global South D. Tittensor, F. Mansouri (eds.) 2017, The Politics of Women and Migration in the Global South. Springer Nature, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., United Kingdom This book shines a light on the issues of governance, rights and the injustices that are meted out to an ever growing and vulnerable sector of the global migrant community women. Whilst much of the current literature continues to focus on the issues of remittance and brain drain, there has been very little that examines concerns regarding governance and rights for female workers. This is especially true of the case of women who are particularly vulnerable and have been subject to sexual abuse. Such an omission is pressing given the fact that, as of 2009, only 42 countries have signed the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrants and Members of their Families. The authors thus demonstrate that migrants moving within the Global South are at a greater risk of being subject to social injustices on account of less developed welfare system. Journal Special Issues: Since 2013, the Chair-holder has guest-edited special issues of prestigious journals, including the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs and the journal Social Inclusion. Mansouri, F. Lobo, M. & Johns, A. (2015), The "Muslim Question: Re-balancing the Debate on Citizenship and Belonging in the West. Edited special issue of the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. Edited Special Issue, vol Mansouri, F and Halafoff, A. (2014), Migrant Youth, Intercultural Relations and the Challenge of Social Inclusion. Edited special issue of Social Inclusion, vol 2, Issue 2. Link- 23

24 Cultural, Religious and Political Contestations: The Multicultural Challenge Mansouri, F. (ed.) 2015, Cultural, Religious and Political Contestations. New York, Springer International Publishing, While multiculturalism as a project and a concept is critiqued, challenged, contested, reshaped and even reclaimed; its continued presence at least as demographic fait accompli is guaranteed given the globalising processes at play in the modern world, said Professor Fethi Mansouri, on the publication of his edited book Cultural, Religious and Political Contestations: The Multicultural Challenge. As a result, we must continue to examine its premises, promises and much publicised problems. This book is conceptualised as a way to achieving that to draw attention to the on-going and evolving polarised nature of contemporary multicultural debates. It facilitates a renewed critical assessment of the myriad of ethical and policy challenges that culturally and religiously diverse societies face, ranging from migration settlement to nurturing cultural diversity and pursuing inclusive citizenship, he said. Through a series of carefully selected empirical case studies, the book examines the foundations of multiculturalism in the context of émigré societies from a multi-dimensional international perspective. It considers the politics of multiculturalism and focuses on how the discourse of cultural rights and intercultural relations in Western societies can, and should be accounted for at a philosophical, as well as performative level. 24

25 Global Perspectives on the Politics of Multiculturalism Mansouri, F. and de B beri, B. E. (eds.) 2014, Global Perspectives on the Politics of Multiculturalism in the 21st Century: A Case Study Analysis. Routledge, New York. Multiculturalism is now seen by many of its critics as the source of intercultural and social tensions, fostering communal segregation and social conflicts. While the cultural diversity of contemporary societies has to be acknowledged as an empirical and demographic fact, whether multiculturalism as a policy offers an optimal conduit for intercultural understanding and social harmony has become increasingly a matter of polarised public debate. This 2014 book by UNESCO Chair Professor Fethi Mansouri with Professor Boulou Ebanda de B béri, examines the contested philosophical foundations of multiculturalism and its, often controversial, applications in the context of migrant societies. It also explores the current theoretical debates about the extent to which multiculturalism, and related conceptual constructs, can account for the various ethical challenges and policy dilemmas surrounding the management of cultural diversity in our contemporary societies. The authors consider common conceptual and empirical features from a transnational perspective through analysis of the case studies of Australia, Canada, Columbia, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Uruguay. The book is concerned with how people living in increasingly diverse, globalised societies are able to develop a multitude of attachments simultaneously to their own cultural heritage, to national political communities as well as to universal ethics and values. It is this multi-faceted aspect of this complex debate which often results in the tension we witness at local, national, transnational and global levels, he said. The book is organised into three thematically connected parts (Histories and Politics of Multiculturalism; Justice and Education as Key Dimensions of Multiculturalism; and Performing Multicultural Belongings) allowing for the exploration of the Multicultural Challenge from a comparative, historical and philosophical perspective. More significantly, and in addition to providing a fresh re-examination of prominent multicultural settings, such as Canada and Australia, readers will discover thoughtful considerations of less examined examples, such as with New Zealand and Italy. 25

26 Since 2013, the UNESCO Chair has been the host and primary supporter of the prestigious Journal of Intercultural Studies (Taylor and Francis), an international and interdisciplinary scholarly journal which showcases critical scholarship on emerging cultural formations, negotiations and contemporary challenges to cultures and identities. Through this close relationship with the Journal, the UNESCO Chair has fostered academic excellence and opportunities for the dissemination of critical research worldwide. Receiving contributions the world over from scholars in cultural studies, sociology, migration studies, literary studies, gender studies, anthropology, cultural geography, urban studies, race and ethnic studies, its contents regularly contribute to discussions on the: a) the (re)conceptualisation of nationhood, citizenship and belonging; Impact metrics CiteScore (Elsevier): 0.85 SNIP 0.758; Scopus: ranked 48/716 Cultural Studies (worldwide); ranked 288/951 Sociology and Political Science (worldwide) (2015 Data) Mock Impact Factor (T&F calculation): H-Index 18 (2015 data) In 2016, JICS was included in the Emerging Social Sciences Index and will automatically be considered for inclusion into the Social Sciences Index (Impact Factor) at the end of b) questioning theories of diaspora, transnationalism, hybridity and border crossing, and their contextualised applications; c) exploring the contemporary sociocultural formations of whiteness, ethnicity, racialization, postcolonialism and indigeneity; and d) examining how past and contemporary key scholars can inform current thinking on intercultural knowledge, multiculturalism, race and cultural identity. The journal s most recent, 2016, publishing report attests to the continuation of this title s growth, increasing impact, and quality. Link to the Journal: 26

27 Since 2016, the UNESCO Chair has been the host and primary supporter of the open access Journal for Citizenship and Globalisation Studies (DeGruyter). Prof Mansouri is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal which aims to create a very accessible dissemination platform for publishing high quality papers around issues of immediate relevant to the Chair s mandate. To this end, JCGS publishes high-quality innovative empirical and theoretical papers that critically engage with: emergent practices of community and citizenship at multiple levels of social life tensions and innovations in contemporary practices of governance, security and democracy around the world the plural and contested constructions and claims of identity within and between complex societies the ways heritage and (material as well as intangible) culture elicit contestation and dissonance, as well as different modes of being in the world today the nexus between discrimination and disparity, and its impact on development and human rights uncovering theory, policy and practice necessary for the achievement of social justice JCGS is multidisciplinary and welcomes submissions from: anthropology; development studies; education; history; international relations; migration studies; sociology; philosophy; political science; postcolonial studies. JCGS is a global publication which aims to contribute to the construction of global knowledges; unconstrained by borders or boundaries. It particularly welcomes submissions that adopt transnational, intercultural and international frames and methods. The inaugural issue of JCGS will be published in late

28 Training the next generation of researchers Research training and mentorship is core to the UNESCO Chair s program of activities. Since the Chair s foundation, Professor Mansouri has supervised and mentored more than 20 doctoral researchers and PhD candidates, as well as numerous postdoctoral research fellows, emerging scholars and interns. Research mentoring and training the next generation of leading thinkers is core to the program led by the UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice. The UNESCO Chair s Affiliate Researcher scheme facilitates new and innovative research and research partnerships by supporting individual and small teams of researchers to initiate research programs that align with the scope and priorities of the Chair. Affiliate Researchers are supported within the framework of the UNESCO Chair team, including administrative and logistical support to conduct research and dissemination activities. Affiliate Researchers scheme 28

29 Doctoral scholars Internships scheme Since 2013, the UNESCO Chair team has invested in scholarships for outstanding doctoral scholars. These PhD scholarships have facilitated innovative new research in diverse fields including: South-South Migration: An examination of Vulnerability & Agency Amongst Young Irregular Migrants from Southeast Asia Countering Islamophobia: Evaluating the Role of Islamic Organizations in Australia Towards media freedom: the > post media climate in the Maghreb The UNESCO Chair s internship scheme creates opportunities for researchers with a postgraduate qualification, or significant progress towards a postgraduate qualification to develop practical skills and experience in a high-quality research environment. Further, in the last four years, Professor Mansouri has supervised the doctoral research of PhD candidates across a diverse range of disciplines and research interests including: Internet, diaspora and Social Inclusion Australia's metropolitan Muslim communities and the idea of jihad An analysis of counter-narratives in state-sponsored Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs: Australia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom Identity narratives of unaccompanied Afghan children seeking asylum in Australia Military Occupation of Heritage Sites: Orientalism, Archaeology and the Iraq War Citizenship in A Multi-faith Society: A Case Study of Indonesia Mental health in Kenya: a cosmopolitan approach Young women and interculturality: a study of subjectivities The Arab Spring: Beyond the Power of the People Democratically Grounded Cosmopolitanism: Iraqi Refugees in Australia Since 2003 Australian - Bangladeshi - Muslim - Woman: Community and Identity in the Social Media Era Power and paradoxes in the subjectivities of Australian Muslims Intercultural subjectivities of the everyday: a study of Australian school kids Exploring how religious authority is constructed among Australia's Muslim clerics (Ulama) 29

30 Fostering intercultural dialogue for the rapprochement of cultures Since it's foundation, the UNESCO Chair has contributed to the international decade for the rapprochement of cultures through a program of activities and events which promote mutual understanding, celebrate diversity and support social cohesion. 30

31 31

32 UNESCO Chair's Oration Series Founded in 2013 and hosted by the UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice, the UNESCO Chair s Oration series, is an annual public lecture delivered by a preeminent thinker or practitioner on themes pertaining to social justice, cultural diversity and human rights Inaugural UNESCO Chair s Oration The Inaugural Oration was delivered by UNES- CO Chair for Cultural Diversity and Social Justice, Alfred Deakin Professor Fethi Mansouri. Professor Mansouri s sold out lecture outlined the scope and priorities of the UNESCO Chair. Coinciding with the launch of the Chair, the event included a respondent panel of experts including Federal politician, Maria Vamvakinou MP, Dr Hass Dellal (Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Foundation) and Pino Migliorino (Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council Australia) Third Annual UNESCO Chair s Oration The Third Annual Oration was delivered by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Rigoberta Menchú; social activist, author and an internationally leading voice on Indigenous rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation whose lecture focused on the centrality of diversity. Everything starts with diversity, Dr Menchú said. Dr Menchú inspired and challenged her audiences, both at the oration and a workshop earlier in the day, with personal reflections on fundamental ethical questions gained from her life, her struggle, dedicated to justice and reconciliation, said Professor Fethi Mansouri, UNESCO Chair for Cultural Diversity and Social Justice. 32

33 2014 Second Annual UNES- CO Chair s Oration The Second Annual Oration was delivered by Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission. In a lecture focused on political leadership, media discourse on issues related to diversity, Emeritus Professor Triggs oration explored the ethical dimensions of public policy making - particularly in relation to asylum seeker and indigenous policy Fourth Annual UNESCO Chair s Oration Author and human rights advocate Dr Arnold Zable used stories to give a human face to Australia s marginalised in the 2016 UNESCO Chair Oration titled Here is Where We Meet: The Humanising Power of Story. From his own parents experience as Holocaust survivors, to the story of Joy Murphy Wandin and her grandparents Robert and Jemima Wandoon Indigenous people who were cast out from the former Coranderrk mission at Healesville to two Sudanese refugees, both coincidentally called Abraham, who have settled with their families in Gippsland and been embraced by their communities. Dr Zable evocatively shared the stories of a handful of the many people with different backgrounds who make up multicultural Australia. [It is] by listening to stories that we can break down the barriers between ourselves and people from different ethnic backgrounds and combat the tendency to blame all ills on the other the scapegoat Dr Zable said. 33

34 Celebrating intercultural dialogue Iftar dinners For more than five years, the UNESCO Chair has proudly supported Iftar dinners hosted by Deakin University Vice-Chancellor in partnership with the Australian Intercultural Society. Professor Mansouri s formal role in proceedings has included delivery keynote addresses, and acting as the master of ceremonies. Iftar dinners hosted by Deakin University celebrate multicultural and multi-faith communities and partnerships and promote intercultural dialogue and understanding. 34

35 Collaboration with UNESCO Participation in the world forums on intercultural dialogue At the launch of the book Interculturalism at the Crossroads (edited by Alfred Deakin Professor Fethi Mansouri) : Prof. Hassan Nadhem, UNESCO Chair on the Development of Inter- Religious Dialogue Studies in the Islamic World; Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO; Alfred Deakin Professor Fethi Mansouri UNESCO Chair Cultural Diversity and Social Justice; Nada Al-Nashif, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences; Ann-Belinda Preis, UNESCO Chief of Section - Intercultural Dialogue, Sector for Social and Human Sciences. The annual world forum on intercultural dialogue in Baku, Azerbaijan brings together UNESCO Chairs with national government representatives, leaders of international and regional organisations, religious and civil society institutions and experts from over 100 countries. Intercultural and interreligious dialogue are critical for human security said Professor Fethi Mansouri. The forum, he explained, forms an international platform to encourage and enable people, countries and organisations to support diversity by raising awareness of the importance of intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Professor Mansouri as a UNESCO Chair and in his capacity as the Convener of the UNESCO UniTWIN Network on Interreligious and Intercultural dialogue (IDIU) has been very active in these important deliberations and played a key role in planning and hosting the UniTWIN Academic Forum, hosted as part of the World forum. The Forum highlights current research and provides an opportunity for engaging with national and transnational policy-makers on optimal approaches for facilitating intercultural dialogue in multicultural societies. 35

36 Dissemination: Informing public debate and shaping policy directions Disseminating and fostering tools of intercultural dialogue, informing public debate and shaping policy directions are core to the UNESCO Chair s program. Through training and capacity-building workshops, international academic conferences, national symposia, and direct engagement with media, policy-makers and government, the UNESCO Chair has concretely and meaningfully promoted intercultural dialogue, social justice and cultural diversity. 36

37 37

38 Workshops and seminars Do one thing for diversity and inclusion workshop The UNESCO Chair team celebrated World Day for Cultural Diversity in 2013 with a workshop aimed at strengthening respectful and inclusive behavior around cultural diversity within the University. Courageous conversations about race In , the UNESCO Chair supported a workshop series at Deakin University, which promoted racial consciousness and cultural competency. Practicing non-violence in education In association with the International Centre of Nonviolence Australia celebrating the second annual Nonviolence Month, the UNESCO Chair and the Alfred Deakin Institute hosted Professor Emeritus Magnus Haavelsrud. A patron of the International Centre of Nonviolence Australia, Professor Haavelsrud delivered a public lecture on practicing nonviolence in education. HDR workshop with Professor Anoop Nayak In 2015, the UNESCO Chair supported a workshop for HDR candidates with eminent professor of social and cultural geography. Professor Nayak shared insights with doctoral and early career researchers from his exceptional career as an innovative, high-impact researcher. 38

39 Islam and democracy workshop Civil society, women and democracy The UNESCO Chair convened a workshop during which visiting researchers from Tunisia shared their personal experiences of the Tunisian revolution with University staff and students and engaged in vigorous discussion covering ethics, opportunity and the responsibility of being an inspiration. Rigoberta Menchú workshop Alongside the 2015 UNESCO Chair's Oration, Nobel Laureate Dr Rigoberta Menchú led a sold-out workshop with doctoral scholars and early career researchers where she shared personal reflections on fundamental ethical questions gained from her life dedicated to justice and reconciliation. In this workshop, academics and doctoral researchers engaged with democracy activists from Tunisia and Indonesia to examine the contested and misunderstood topic of Islam and democracy. Through very brief presentations and semi-structured discussion, this workshop facilitated a dynamic and provocative conversation about Islam, Muslim societies and the factors that assist and hinder political and social reform. Participants considered critical issues in institution building, social change, economic reform, Islamic thought and civil society dynamics. 39

40 Conferences and symposia Post-Arab Spring Tunisia: Decentralisation and Local Democracy In 2016, the UNESCO Chair partnered with the Council for Australian-Arab Relations and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to host an international symposium. This event brought together key civil society figures from Australia, Indonesia and Tunisia to share learnings around youth engagement and consensus building as a means of working towards democratic consolidation at the local level. 3rd Australasian Conference on Islam Refuting the Theological Foundations of Violent Extremism and Radicalisation In 2016, Professor Mansouri co-chaired the 3rd Australasian Conference on Islam: Refuting the theological foundations of violent extremism and radicalization. This international conference explored the causes of radicalisation from theological as well as sociological perspectives in order to offer authentic theological responses and sociological understandings of literalist/selective religious interpretations and radical narratives. An Arab exception? The role of civil society in Tunisia s democratic transition In 2015, the UNESCO Chair partnered with the Council for Australian-Arab Relations and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to host an international symposium exploring the role of civil society organisations in Tunisia s democratic transition. The symposium, which brought together Tunisian civil society leaders with academics from Australia and overseas, included critical reflections on the role of civil society in the Tunisian revolution, and special panels on women politics and power, and youth of the revolution. 40

41 International symposium: Migration, Diversity and Justice In 2014, the UNESCO Chair convened an international symposium on migration to explore three key themes: the ascent of the Global South, the feminization of migration, and the governance, rights and justice of migration. Participants engaged with cutting-edge research, on the drivers and characteristics of increased South-South migration, how migration policies can be more gender responsive, and the role of global governance in migration. Exploring the legacy of the Anzacs, Gallipoli 100 years on In 2015, the UNESCO Chair hosted an international symposium Exploring the legacy of the Anzacs, Gallipoli 100 years on in partnership with Ipek University in Turkey. This high-level symposium brought together experts from Australia and Turkey to explore the cultural and economic relationships between Australia and Turkey born on the battlefields of Gallipoli. International Conference - Inaugural Journal of Intercultural Studies Conference Hosted in partnership with City University New York in New York, the inaugural conference of the Journal of Intercultural Studies critically engaged with a range of topics under the Chair s mandate, including transnationalism and diaspora, migration, multiculturalism and indigeneity. 41

42 Engaging with public debates and dialogue States of emergency states-of-emergency UNESCO s Global Citizenship project The Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration Traditional media Professor Mansouri regularly engages with media outlets (in both English and Arabic) on issues of relevance to the UNESCO Chair. Selected media commentary includes:

43 Agree to differ Mansouri, F, Tittensor, D & Armillei, R (2015), Cultural diversity through informative action research: translating ideas into real impact, in UNESCO (ed), Agree to differ, Tudor Rose Publishing, UK, pp Social media Facebook and Twitter has been an effective tool for the UNESCO Chair, Cultural Diversity and Social Justice to engage with public debates and dialogue. Since 2013, the Chair s social media following has grown to exceed 22,000. This digital community engages with news, cutting-edge research, events and public discourse, as well as sharing photos and media from UNESCO Chair and UNESCO events and activities. 43

44 Engagement with policy-makers Appointment to the Advisory Interim Advisory Board of the Victorian Government s Social Cohesion and Multicultural Research Institute In late 2015, Professor Mansouri was appointed by the Minister for Multicultural Affairs to the Interim Advisory Board of Victorian Government's the new Social Cohesion and Multicultural Research Institute. The Institute is an initiative of the social cohesion and community resilience ministerial taskforce and forms part of the Victorian Government's $25 million plan to promote multiculturalism. "The Social Cohesion and Multicultural Research Institute represents an important opportunity for Victoria, and Australia, to advance evidence-based research and policy in response to the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly diverse population", said Professor Fethi Mansouri. The Interim Advisory Board, comprised of leading researchers in the field, has been established to guide the development of a research program to help address the current issues facing Victoria. This includes those related to multiculturalism, diversity, intercultural relations, youth affairs, and the challenge of better understanding the process by which some individuals engage in violent extremism. The Government's Institute will act as a network of academics, researchers and evaluators from a range of universities and other organisations. "In this way it will open new opportunities for researchers and organisations engaged in the field to share ideas and collaborate", said Professor Mansouri. "In itself my advisory role facilitates an opportunity to share the insights of the Alfred Deakin Institute's research in this area; to provide the new Institute with evidence-based findings and evaluations to shape their agenda and inform the Victorian government's policy agenda". 44

45 UNESCO Chair responds to Australian Citizenship Amendment Bill In a 2015, submission to the Federal Government Professor Fethi Mansouri urged the government to look for alternatives to stripping dual nationals linked to terrorism of their Australian citizenship. It is at the most challenging of times that our commitment to democratic principles are most tested and when our commitments to them must become most important, he said. Weakening the inclusiveness of our citizenship laws and practices can weaken Australian values. The right to belong is just that, a right, not a privilege that can be taken away by a ministerial decision, citizenship is a constitutional right that is as irrevocable as any other basic human right. In his submission to the National Consultation on Citizenship, Professor Mansouri said the best way to safeguard Australians from potential acts of violent extremism was by ensuring citizenship laws advanced the social inclusion of all Australians, strengthen core Australian values and increase our standing as a good international citizen. From South Africa s treatment of anti-apartheid activists to France s draconian laws forbidding Islamic religious symbols in public and the British treatment of Irish republican suspects in the 1970s, there is undeniable comparable empirical evidence that harsh measures do not often solve problems, he said. Our strength and resilience as a nation will only be furthered if our commitment to the rule of law goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to freedom of religion, expression, assembly and association. These are the cornerstones of civil liberty and should never be jeopardized; even as we fight and resist the scourge that is international terrorism and violent extremism. Professor Mansouri said that by revoking citizenship Australia shifts the burden to another, and perhaps less able, community to deal with. Australia should take responsibility for its citizens and lead by example as an upholder of international citizenship, he said. Failure to do so risks weakening Australia s international standing, thus undermining our ability to collaborate with other states on global issues, including terrorism, people-smuggling, drug-trafficking and foreign fighting. 45

46 UNITWIN Network In December 2015, the UNESCO Chair was appointed Convener of the UNITWIN Network for Inter-Religious Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding. In this key role, Professor Mansouri continues to bring together the expertise of 28 UNESCO Chairs across 25 countries. The objective of the Network is to construct, implement and disseminate high-impact research around intercultural and inter-religious relations. Edited book In 2017, Professor Mansouri s edited book Interculturalism at the Crossroads was launched by Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova at the 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku, Azberbaijan. Including chapters from members of the Network, this edited book, focuses on intercultural dialogue as abroad conceptual and policy tool which seeks to harness and develop the potential of diversities that emerge from everyday spaces to generate conviviality, co-operation, reciprocity and care. Link to full publication- unitwinidiu.org/unesco-new-collaborative-unesco-publication-interculturalism-at-the-crossroads/ 46

47 Website UNITWIN Network for Inter-reigious Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding (IDIU) As Convener, Professor Mansouri has developed and maintained the revitalised web presence of the network: This digital hub includes the central repository for engagement and the dissemination of key resources and research. Repository of resources and research Through the UNITWIN Network, the Chair has developed a central digital repository of resources and research in intercultural understanding and inter-religious dialogue. The aim of this repository is to leverage the combined expertise of the UNESCO network towards the creation of a go to resource for academics and policy-makers which will make a significant contribution to the enhancement intercultural understanding and cultural competencies facing people across the globe. 47