Tell us about yourself (who you are, where you're from and what you do)
I currently lead Coventry University's new Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations. This is an exciting and ambitious new venture built on the strong foundation of three of the university's successful applied research groups; peace and reconciliation studies, social relations and trust and ethical behaviour; it draws in also the university's work in human security and community cohesion.
I am an applied economist by training and was head of economics and public policy at Leeds Metropolitan University before moving to a chair in international business at the University of Central Lancashire. In 1995, following work with FCO, British Council and European Commission in the transition states of Eastern Europe, I moved full time to British Council to continue and develop work in international relations
I became really interested in cultural relations and intercultural relationships following diplomatic postings in the Arab world (Cairo and Jerusalem) and Asia (Jakarta), and framed and lead British Council's global programme in intercultural dialogue.
I encouraged British Council's work worldwide to increase its emphasis on working with difference and with inter- and intra-community relations. My portfolio with the British Council included international work with schools and skills, networks of young global citizens and capacity development within civil societies worldwide as well as supporting partnerships which help conflict and post-conflict contexts and people and communities in fragile states.
What is your current research focused on?
I am interested in the seemingly unending battle between the forces of prejudice and the forces for pluralism and so look at the many questions that arise around disparity and disadvantage and especially where these result from cultural plurality.
My research looks at human security through the specific lens of cultural diversity and seeks to examine those factors that create difficulties for the many who seek to live side-by-side in some degree of harmony with different ethnicities, faiths, affluence, age and so forth. In a practical and pragmatic sense I want us to shed as much light as we can on tensions in social relations so that we spend more energy on prevention than in reaction, and leave much more time to focus on the desperate inequalities that seem to characterise our modern world.
What are you passionate about?
Apart from Manchester United and Brentford FC, I'm passionate about fairness and social justice. Communities worldwide have always been diverse, complex and changing places. But the last two decades in particular have seen demographic shifts of an unprecedented scale. Opinions about the impact of rising levels of diversity vary. Some associate these trends with separation, progressive decline in trust and heightened tension. Others place an unquestionable faith in the capacity of people and communities to adapt and absorb these major shifts.
Whatever our views, and whichever is the compelling explanation of the consequences, diverse communities are here and here to stay. And we have to work more actively to dismantle the obstacle course that most of us must manoeuvre on a daily basis: a negative and campaigning media, poor education and the strength of the forces of prejudice rather than the forces for pluralism.
How does your research affect people's everyday lives?
Most diverse communities develop relatively successful strategies for "rubbing along" through a process of mutual adaptation. This happens in spite of rather than because of the actions of government interventions. If we could generate compelling evidence and understanding and be clear how transferable this was to different contexts and places, then we could help people to put prejudice to one side and promote pluralism in their everyday lives. We can show that social interacting across difference can be life enhancing and enriching.
Communities with strong social interchange tend to function better, are more resilient and are nicer places to live in. In most studies, strong contact with neighbours builds resilience in both communities and places helping both to solve problems and meet challenges. In addition, strong social networks are a critical part of supporting adaptation and coexistence, particularly with new arrivals.
The policy implications may then be more about how to help people to cope with rapid change – a new and contemporary skill-requirement. We do not have to resort to publicly celebrating or actively highlighting diversities, nor to promoting a "permissions" culture where we tolerate them but rather maybe to focus more on learning to live with diversity rather than fearing it.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
Though it may fail to act, the world community has accepted and understands how the fight against absolute poverty and the need to take climate change seriously are both crucial for challenging human insecurities and enhancing well-being; I want to add accepting cultural diversity as a third prerequisite.
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