“Citizenship Values” e-Symposium Report

On the 13th of January 2021, Siraj Centre for Research and Studies organised an international e-symposium under the theme “Values of Citizenship: Disparity between Thought and Reality” The symposium featured three distinguished speakers:

Dr Anas Altikriti: The CEO and founder of the Cordoba Foundation. He is also president of Muslim Association of Britain 2004-2005- United Kingdom.

Dr Ahmed Elfarrek:  Professor of philosophy at Abdelmalek Essadi University –Morocco

Prof. Dr. Tariq Modood: Founding director of the Bristol University Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship – United Kingdom.

The major objective of this symposium was to investigate three main questions:

• How does Citizenship relate to other identities, such as religious identity?
•  What is the relationship between multicultural equality and national identity?
• How to balance the citizenship values of right, inclusion and duty on one hand, and the growing pressure of globalization to marginalise local identities on the other?

In his presentation, Dr. Tariq Modood drew attention to the importance of defining the concept of “National Identity” for a better understanding of the concept of “Citizenship”. He argued that National Identity is not only about belonging (fraternity or solidarity), but it underlies a host of emotional and imaginative aspects. He equally suggested that National identity should never be dictated by governments; it should emanate from citizens, which makes it an ever changing concept. Furthermore, Dr. Modood examined anti-racism from a different perspective.  He explained the way to turn anti-racism to a positive identity. To illustrate his point, he used examples from the American history to show the turning point of anti-racism to positive identity affirmation.

Dr. Anas Altikriti on the other hand drew on an extensive range of examples to assess the different layers of citizenship and identity. He first highlighted the multi-layered aspect of Identity beginning from the level of the individual and how he/she perceives him/herself. As a second move, Dr. Takriti examined the multi-layered aspect of citizenship as a relationship between the individual and his/her environment.

The issue of the good and bad citizen was at the heart of Dr. Altikriti’s talk. He challenged the labelling of citizens on the basis of governmental metrics.  He considered it to be limiting the dynamic of society and suppress the right of opposing governments.

In his presentation, Dr. Ahmed Elfarrek carried out a historical account of the early sources of citizenship in Islam. He brought attention to the “Constitution of Medina” also known as the “Charter of Medina” and how it formed the basis of a multi-religious Islamic state in Medina in the last third of the sixth century. Drawing on the articles of the Charter, the speaker specifically highlighted the emotional and ethical dimensions of the co-existence between the religious and tribal denominations that constituted the community of the Medina at that time. Dr Elfarrek concluded that citizenship should always be formed around the whole community, and not around tribes or sects. Drezinex