Faith in the Public Realm : Controversies, Policies and Practices

Based on primary research, this book explores the controversies, policies and practices of 'public faith', questioning perceptions of a fixed divide between religious and secular participants in public life and challenging prevailing concepts of a monolithic 'neutral' public realm. It takes an in-depth look at the distinctiveness of faith groups' contribution, but also probes the conflicts and dilemmas that arise, assessing the role and capacity of faith groups within specific public policy contexts, including education, regeneration, housing and community cohesion. 'Faith in the public realm' will be of interest to students, academics, policy-makers and practitioners in the public and voluntary sectors, and in faith communities themselves.|Based on primary research, this book explores the controversies, policies and practices of 'public faith', questioning perceptions of a fixed divide between religious and secular participants in public life and challenging prevailing concepts of a monolithic 'neutral' public realm. It takes an in-depth look at the distinctiveness of faith groups' contribution, but also probes the conflicts and dilemmas that arise, assessing the role and capacity of faith groups within specific public policy contexts, including education, regeneration, housing and community cohesion. 'Faith in the public realm' will be of interest to students, academics, policy-makers and practitioners in the public and voluntary sectors, and in faith communities themselves. Faith And Religion Is A Hot Topic At The Moment, And This Text Explores Key Issues For Faith And Religious Groups. Understanding The Role Of Faith In The Policy World Is Of Increasing Importance, And Chapters Are Arranged Around Themes, Which Helps Students Understand The Concepts. Faith And The Public Realm / Adam Dinham And Vivien Lowndes -- Controversies Of 'public Faith' / Robert Furbey -- 'soft' Segregation: Muslim Identity, British Secularism And Inequality / David Cheesman And Nazia Khanum -- How Participation Changes Things: 'inter-faith', 'multi-faith' And A New Public Imaginary / Paul Weller -- Faith, Multiculturalism And Community Cohesion: A Policy Conversation / Maqsood Ahmed, Ted Cantle And Dilwar Hussain -- Blurred Encounters? Religious Literacy, Spiritual Capital And Language / Christopher Baker -- Religion, Political Participation And Civic Engagement: Women's Experiences / Brenda O'neill -- Young People And Faith Activism: British Muslim Youth, Glocalisation And Umma / Richard Gale And Therese O'toole -- Faith-based Schools: Institutionalising Parallel Lives? / John Flint -- Faiths, Government And Regeneration: A Contested Discourse / Richard Farnell -- Faith And The Voluntary Sector In Urban Governance: Distinctive Yet Similar? / Rachael Chapman. Edited By Adam Dinham, Robert Furbey And Vivien Lowndes. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. FAITH IN THE PUBLIC REALM Contents List of tables and figures Foreword Acknowledgements Notes on contributors Faith and the public realm Controversies of ‘public faith’ ‘Soft’ segregation: Muslim identity, British secularism and inequality How participation changes things: ‘inter-faith’, ‘multi-faith’ and a new public imaginary Faith, multiculturalism and community cohesion: a policy conversation Blurred encounters? Religious literacy, spiritual capital and language Religion, political participation and civic engagement: women’s experiences Young people and faith activism: British Muslim youth, glocalisation and the umma Faith-based schools: institutionalising parallel lives? Faiths, government and regeneration: a contested discourse Faith and the voluntary sector in urban governance: distinctive yet similar? Conclusions Index

Based on primary research, this book explores the controversies, policies and practices of 'public faith', questioning perceptions of a fixed divide between religious and secular participants in public life and challenging prevailing concepts of a monolithic 'neutral' public realm.It takes an in-depth look at the distinctiveness of faith groups' contribution, but also probes the conflicts and dilemmas that arise, assessing the role and capacity of faith groups within specific public policy contexts, including education, regeneration, housing and community cohesion. 'Faith in the public realm' will be of interest to students, academics, policy-makers and practitioners in the public and voluntary sectors, and in faith communities themselves.

This book contends that attempts to reform the NHS can only be understood by reference to both the wider social and political context, and to the organisational legacies present within the NHS itself. It aims to give students an understanding that demonstrates an appreciation of the interactions between health policy, organisation and society. Faith in the public realm takes an explicitly multi-faith perspective, exploring the controversies, policies and practices of 'public faith'. It questions perceptions of a fixed divide between religious and secular participants in public life and challenges prevailing concepts of a monolithic 'neutral' public realm