Academic Workshop Call for Abstracts: Sense of belonging in a diverse Britain

Edited versions of some papers may be selected for either of the two Journals published by the organizers. Authors of selected papers will be notified in due course.

In addition, an edited version of all or some of the papers presented may also be published by an independent reputable publishing house. See here and here for edited publications of Dialogue Society conferences.

• Do we need more clarity about British values in order to promote a sense of belonging in British society? If so, who identifies those values, and how?
• Has ‘state multiculturalism’ encouraged or undermined a sense of belonging?
• Where in British society are we seeing a lack of sense of belonging?
• Is the cultivation of a sense of belonging best served by paying more (affirmative) attention to cultural difference, or less?
• Does a strong sense of belonging to a particular cultural group tend to enhance or undermine people’s relationships with the wider community?
• How do we achieve a healthy balance between celebrating diverse identities and cultivating a sense of common belonging to Britain? How can families and communities keep their distinctive heritage alive while cultivating a sense of belonging where they are?
• What factors – social, political, economic and/or cultural – encourage a sense of belonging in British society?
• What are the most significant barriers to feeling a sense of belonging in Britain?
• How far does immigration status (including citizenship) affect people’s sense of belonging?
• What is the role of sense of belonging, and/or the lack of it, in:
  • Gangs
  • Urban disturbances
  • ‘Home-grown’ terrorism

in the UK?

• How does a lack of sense of belonging impact people’s lives, aside from the cases of those involved in crime or antisocial behaviour?
• How do traditional British symbols such as the Union Jack function in British society (to encourage and express belonging and/or to exclude from belonging)?
• ‘United’ Kingdom? In an age of devolution, and as Scotland debates an independent future, is it to ‘Britain’ that British citizens feel they belong?
• How far does Britain’s foreign policy affect the sense of belonging of British citizens with roots abroad?
• What role can/should the British education system play in instilling a sense of belonging?
• What effect, if any, do faith schools have on pupils’ sense of belonging to the wider community?
• What is the role of the third sector in encouraging a sense of belonging among diverse communities?
• The controversy of citizenship tests: what must a person know in order to belong in Britain?
• How far is the lack of a sense of belonging a (neglected) problem within majority communities? How can the problem be addressed?
• What can be done, by parents, schools, or voluntary organisations, to help young people negotiating complex identities to grow up with a secure sense of belonging?
• How far does faith shape where, and to whom, British citizens feel they belong?
• Does nationalism necessarily involve placing limits on who can belong?

For further information, including full submission schedule and style guide, please click here