£800k ESRC funding awarded to new UWTSD led research project

22.02.2022

A University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) led research project has been awarded £800k by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This is a joint award between UWTSD and the University of Edinburgh and Coventry University.

Image by Professor Gary Bunt

The three-year project, entitled ‘Digital British Islam: How do Cyber Islamic Environments impact everyday life?’,is an innovative multi-institution project led by Professor Gary R. Bunt. As the Principal Investigator, Professor Bunt will work in collaboration with Co-Investigator Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor (Coventry University) and Co-Investigator Professor Frédéric Volpi (University of Edinburgh). The team also includes two research fellows, Dr Khadijah Elshayyal and Dr Sadek Hamid, along with two Post-Doctoral Research Assistants (to be appointed).

‘Cyber-Islamic environments’ (CIEs) is an umbrella term, used to describe how different forms of internet media are used within diverse Muslim contexts. The research will map how CIEs are growing and evolving in relation to intergenerational changes within diverse UK Muslim communities. The research team will explore how digital practices are shaping every day, in-person and ‘real’ experiences of Muslim beliefs in Britain. The research will focus on three themes that generate much public debate - religious authority, gender, and political agency. The project will utilise an online archive, a survey, and interviews.

Responding to the news, Professor Gary Bunt said:

“This is a significant development as the first substantive academic research on Digital British Islam in the UK, which will offer benefits for communities and organisations, as well as academics in the field. It also builds on my long-term research on cyber-Islamic environments.

I’m looking forward to working with this experienced interdisciplinary team, who contribute complementary expertise and knowledge on Islam and Muslims in the UK.”

Commenting on the research, Co-I Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor added:

“This is an excellent opportunity to undertake a piece of research that explores the growing significance of the digital or the ‘virtual’ in shaping the ‘real’. We hope that our research findings will support better understanding of digital religion. By doing so, our research will create virtual and real spaces for meaningful dialogue around Islam and Muslims in Britain.”

Reflecting on the project, Co-I Professor Frédéric Volpi said:

“The University of Edinburgh is proud to be partnering with our colleagues in UWTSD and Coventry University to bring our collective expertise to bear on the impact and influence of the digital on Muslim lives across the UK. Over the last two years, we have witnessed an unprecedented global turn to digital, meaning a project such as this has never been more important.”

The Economic and Social Research Council获得批准three-y价值£804000ear project which will begin in May 2022. Click on the following link to find further information about the research:https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FW002175%2F1

这项工作是由经济和社会支持Research Council [grant number ES/W002175/1].

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