The Institute of Public Affairs, in partnership with the Pears Foundation and the Woolf Institute, Cambridge, will host an interfaith discussion on the theme “The Book and the Believer: are Catholics, Jews and Muslims still outsiders in British society?” Three public figures will share their interesting and provocative perspectives, from their experience of belonging to a minority religious tradition in modern British society. 

Sughra Ahmed (@sughra01) is Programmes Manager at the Woolf Institute in the Centre for Policy and Public Education, where she is responsible for the design and delivery of research and training on issues such as faith, belief, communities, and integration. Previously, she has also explored the migratory and settlement experiences of first generation Muslim women and men in the UK, and worked with a number of organisations to consider the issues young people face whilst growing up in the UK and the impact of this on wider British communities. She is active in interfaith work to help build stronger and more effective relationships across communities of faith and belief.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce (@frankcottrell_b) is a British screenwriter and novelist, known for his children's fiction and for his collaboration(s) with film director Michael Winterbottom and Danny Boyle. He was the writer for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony and for sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, a children’s classic by Ian Fleming. Cottrell-Boyce has won two major British awards for children's books, the 2004 Carnegie Medal for Millions, and the 2012 Guardian Prize for The Unforgotten Coat.

Ruth Gilbert is a Reader at the University of Winchester. Her doctorate (University of Southampton) focused on early modern representations of the body, sex and gender. Recent research focuses on the representation of British Jewishness in contemporary literature and culture. She is a co-convenor of BJ:CC, a new research network bringing together academics working in the field of British-Jewish contemporary culture.

Dr Edward Kessler MBE is Founder Director of the Woolf Instituteand Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge. He is a leading thinker in interfaith relations, primarily, Jewish-Christian-Muslim Relations. Much of his work has been examining Scripture and exploring the significance for Jewish-Christian relations of sharing a sacred text. He has identified a common exegetical tradition, especially in the formative centuries. More recently his writings have focussed on the encounter with Islam and contemporary relations between the three Abrahamic faiths. Kessler proposes approaches for managing difference, which he argues is vital in forming a positive identity as well as sustaining communities.

Kessler is also Vice-Chair of the Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life, chaired by Baroness Butler-Sloss. The Commission, which will issue its report this winter, considers the place and role of religion in contemporary Britain. Dr Kessler sits on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Advisory group on Freedom of Religion and Belief and regularly teaches FCO staff on how and why religion can fundamentally affect policy.

Professor Conor Gearty (@conorgearty) is Director of the Institute of Public Affairs and Professor of Human Rights Law at LSE. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, a Bencher of the ancient Inn of Court of the Middle Temple, and a founding member of Matrix Chambers. His research focuses on civil liberties, terrorism and human rights. He is the author of a number of books including Freedom Under Thatcher, Terror, Principles of Human Rights Adjudication and Can Human Rights Survive? He previously wrote a regular column forThe Tablet and has also written for The London Review of Books, Prospect, and Renewal.

The Institute of Public Affairs (@LSEPubAffairs) is one of the world's leading centres of public policy. Our work encompasses postgraduate teaching, research and a programme of highly innovative activities to engage policy-making, political and corporate audiences, as well as the general public, in the co-creation of knowledge. 

Suggested hashtag for this event for Twitter users: #LSEbeliever

Podcast & Video 

A podcast and video of this event is available to download from The Book and the Believer: are Catholics, Jews and Muslims still outsiders in British society?

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.