How do freedom of speech and freedom of religion or belief interplay? What international precedents are there? What can be learned from the concerns, issues and obstacles encountered in previous debate?
During this interdisciplinary discussion, we will hear from a range of Cambridge-based academics, each drawing on their research whether to map out tensions or illuminate key issues.
Context
In March 2025, the UK government announced a new initiative to provide a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia: a working group.
The group is made up of representatives from Muslim communities, independent experts, and academics, and led by Dominic Grieve KC. Their goal is to “to provide government with a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities of British Muslims”.
The government has allocated six months to tackle its task.
Our discussion will be recorded and may later be reformulated and shared with the working group to inform their task.
Islamophobia definitions in UK government: a brief history
The effort to generate a working definition of Islamophobia belongs to a longer history of government-level discussion.
In 2017, Baroness Warsi asked whether the government had a working definition of Islamophobia. (It did not.) In 2018, the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims set up an inquiry, emphasising the importance of a definition. The APPG suggested a definition supported by the Muslim Council of Britain among others: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
Critics expressed concern that the tests indicated were too broad and failed to distinguish between sincere concern and attack. Responding to the APPG, the government indicated that it would appoint two experts to work on a definition. Imam Qari Asim was appointed to lead this process. Yet by the time the matter next came to Parliament for discussion, no second appointment had been made.
In September 2021, Paul Bristow MP and Naz Shah MP led a debate in the House of Commons. A government minister pointed to the absence of any internationally agreed definition as one reason why the matter remained unsettled. There was also concern in government about intra-community prejudice (and how that might impact a productive definition). The matter stalled.
Further reading
A more detailed history of the debate up to September 2021 is available in the debate pack prepared by Parliamentary researchers (researchBriefings.files.parliament.uk).
The 2021 House of Commons debate can be revisited in Hansard (hansard.parliament.uk).
The 2025 working group’s Terms of reference can be downloaded from gov.uk.
Practicalities
As with all Inter-Religious Research Seminar sessions, this event is open to all.
If you have conducted related research and would be interested to contribute directly as a discussant, please contact us before the event to enquire.