Origins of the Programme

The PPC is a response by University of Bradford academics to the many challenges facing the District in which the University is located and which were highlighted by the riots which took place in July 2001.

The PPC developed into a network of academics and practitioners who came together to share research, ideas and thinking about some of the challenges facing Bradford District through meetings, workshops and events. The main recurrent thematic areas we have explored include: cohesion, multi-culturalism, participation, conflict, citizenship education, safe spaces/dialogue, international conflict such as Iraq, Segregation (or not?) in Bradford and other contexts, identity, inequalities, extremism, fascism, the Bradford riots, racism, local democracy, leadership, faith, class, religion and secularism & conflicting world views.

Aims of the Programme

The PPC is a network of academics and practitioners who share thinking, research and ideas about how people participate and interact together in Bradford District and beyond. The PPC aims to work with partner organisations to develop shared discussion spaces and support critical reflection. We aim to develop thinking and practice on how to facilitate honest encounters challenging ourselves to hear 'the other'.

The PPC, funded by the Centre for Community Engagement continues to value and support the bringing together academics and practitioners to reflect on key contemporary debates with the understanding that society needs different types of knowledge and we also facilitate reflection spaces that explore dialogue and deliberation and how we negotiate difference in complex and unequal urban spaces.

Who are the members?

The PPC is a network of people who register to join – it includes academics and some students from the University of Bradford including the School of Lifelong Education and Development (SLED), the School of Social and International Studies (SSIS) and the School of Health Studies. We also have academics from other Universities and colleges as members and a number of retired academics. The non-academic members include faith workers, members of the clergy, teachers, police officers, youth workers, community activists, trade unionists, health professionals, social workers, probation officers, community & voluntary sector workers and local Government officers. We have members who also define themselves as local citizens. One of the unique aspects to the PPC is people with such a wide diversity of beliefs come together to discuss issues of ethics, values and belief systems – our network includes Sikhs, Hindus, Anglicans, Catholics, Adventists, Atheists, Humanists, Agnostics, Pagans, Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, Methodists, Jews, Buddhists and those who exercise the right not to be labelled.

Benefits for the University

• Creating a sustained space where there is a genuine exchange of different types of knowledge e.g. academics researching conflict can hear genuine examples of disagreements on religious and secular clashes. There is a richness in bringing together global and local experience.
• Staff and students have been able to attend seminars with high profile speakers such as Professor John Esposito, one of the world's leading thinkers on Islam and the West. This also creates a space where, for example, international & national students are able to debate with members of the local community which can help foster inter cultural/group awareness and understanding.
• Contacts have been made between academics and local people with regard to research, e.g. PPC connections led to a number of local people being trained as community researchers and participating in an ICPS research project in 2006.
• The University is felt to be contributing to the District by many of our partners, such as the Diversity Exchange, Bradford Youth Service, Cohesion Team of Education Bradford and smaller grassroots organisations such as the Congolese refugee led Centre for Resolution Conflict.

Benefits for the District

• Bringing the global to the local, including connections with organisations such as Community Dialogue in Northern Ireland.
• Valuing and where possible systematising practitioner knowledge e.g. work on dialogue and safe spaces.
• Providing a 'time out' space where practitioners can reflect on local and national issues and agendas, practice and challenges.
• A network discussing values and ethics which has diverse religious and non-religious members.
• Providing a 'safe space' at key moments such as 7 July 2005.
• Sharing research and providing space to reflect and explore academic findings.
• Proving a space for practitioners from different sectors to explore shared concerns and good practice.

Forthcoming Events

'Islam and Democracy: WHAT CLASH?'
Thursday 26 February 2009, 18.00 registration & refreshments, talk 18.30-20.30.

FREE ADMISSION (But FREE tickets must be booked via Lisa Cumming)

Honorary Member of the European Parliament, Amédée Turner will be visiting the University of Bradford on Thursday 26 February 2009, as a guest speaker for the 'Islam and Democracy: WHAT CLASH?' lecture.

The lecture forms part of the Programme for a Peaceful City Public Lecture Series and is hosted by the Department of Peace Studies, in the School of Social and International Studies. This lecture will explore Muslim voices on democracy and Islam across the UK and USA and explore local perspectives and responses.

Amédée Turner is a former a Member of the European Parliament and Queen's Counsel. He recently served as European Union advisor on democratic practice and principles to the newly former democratic Parliament in Macedonia. Amédée carried out the present project, whilst hearing a diverse range of grassroot Muslim voices on democracy and Islam and whilst he was a member of the Advisory Council of the Anglican Observer, to the United Nations.

The lecture will be chaired by Dr Yunas Samad, Director of Ethnicity Social Policy Research Centre, Social Sciences and Humanities.

Other speakers will include Maroof Shaffi, a member of the Islamic Society of Britain and a student of Islamic Studies.

Seminar outline:

John Stanley Bell Lecture Theatre
Richmond Building
The University of Bradford
Richmond Rd
Bradford
BD7 1DP
Tel: 01274 234173
E-mail: l.f.cumming@bradford.ac.uk

Current Work

Thinkspace - the PPC has established a Thinkspace with academics from a range of Universities and practitioners from Bradford and beyond to explore issues dialogue, diversity and participation.

Belfast Exchange - The PPC and partners worked with the Institute of Conflict Research (Belfast) to organise an exchange visit to Belfast to explore lessons whether there is learning from the Northern Ireland that would be useful with regard to the State's current response to violence such as July 7 bombings. 6 Bradford Muslims attended a seminar in Belfast in November 07 and we then hosted 8 guests from Northern Ireland along with 40 local participants on 28 February 08 exploring two key thematic areas – namely human rights and preventing violence. Guests from Northern Ireland included former paramilitaries and human rights activists such as Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. Local participants from the region included activists and senior police officers and the event was funded by Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Local Partners - The PPC has continued to work with local partners on a range of events such as an open space discussion with the Diversity Exchange in December 07 asking local practitioners to explore 'What Really Matters To You About Bradford'. We also worked with academics in Social Sciences and Humanities and the Equity Partnership to facilitate a discussion on the tension between religious belief and sexual orientation.

Disseminating research - key work also involves trying to make more research available to local external partners and open up academic seminars to practitioners and the PPC works particularly closely with the International Centre for Participation Studies (based in Peace Studies) on this but also with research centres in Social Sciences and Humanities, BCID and the School of Health.

Public events re. religion and secularism - the PPC works in partnership with organisations such as the Islamic Society of Britain (local branch), Bradford Churches for Dialogue and Diversity to bring exciting speakers to the University as we continue to explore religious and secular issues. We have recently been liaising with a representative of the British Humanist Society to discuss future ideas.

Find out more

For more information about the PPC, you can download the following document: Programme Systemisation (PDF - 751KB) or you can contact:

Lisa Cumming,
Programme for a Peaceful City,
Peace Studies,
University of Bradford,
Bradford,
BD7 1DP

Tel: +44 (0) 1274 23 4173
Email: l.f.cumming@bradford.ac.uk

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