Contact Address
Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK
School of Religious & Theological Studies
Cardiff University
CARDIFF
CF10 3EU

Qualifications and Educational History
BA Theology and Religious Studies (First Class), University of Wales
MA Inter-Faith Studies (with Distinction), University of Wales
PhD Islamic Studies, University of Wales (1994)

Academic posts:
2007 – present, Cardiff University, Senior Lecturer in Religious & Theological Studies

2005 – present, Cardiff University, Director, Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK

2004 – 2007, Cardiff University, Lecturer in Religious & Theological Studies

1999 - 2004 Cardiff University, School of Religious and Theological Studies, Cardiff Research Fellow

1998 University of Exeter, Research Fellow in Sociology

1994-1997 University of Warwick, Research Fellow, Department of Sociology and part-time tutor, Institute of Education

Current Research Interests
Muslim chaplaincy
Imams and religious leadership
Sociology of religious professionals
Chaplaincy

Publications (Books/Chapters/Journal Papers)
i) Sole authored books

Fieldwork in Religion: a guide for qualitative researchers, London: Continuum, forthcoming 2011

Muslims in Britain: an Introduction, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2009

2000 Religion in Higher Education: The Politics of the Multi-Faith Campus, Aldershot: Ashgate pp. xiii + 199, ISBN 0 7546 1562 6


ii) Jointly authored/edited books


1998 Religion in Prison: Equal Rites in a Multi-faith Society, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (with Professor James Beckford), pp. xiv + 232, ISBN 0 521 62246 8


iii) Chapters in edited books


2008 ‘From ‘Visiting Minister’ to ‘Muslim Chaplain’: the growth of Muslim chaplaincy in Britain, 1970-2007’, in Barker, E. & Richardson, J. (eds.), The Centrality of Religion in Social Life, Aldershot: Ashgate

2002 ‘Invitation and Enculturation: the dissemination and development of Islam in contemporary societies’, in Wolffe, J. (ed.), Global Religious Movements in Regional Context, Milton Keynes: Open University Press/Aldershot:Ashgate

2001 ‘Sociological perspectives on the care of minority faiths’ in Orchard, H. (ed), Spirituality in Health Care Contexts, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp. 135-146

‘The Sociology of Religious Specialists’ in Smelser, N. and Baltes, P (eds.), International Encyclopaedia of the Social and Behavioural Sciences, Surrey: Elsevier Science Ltd. Vol. 19:13132-6

1999 ‘Religion in 1998’ in Contemporary Britain, London: Institute of Contemporary British History

‘Religion in 1997’, in Contemporary Britain, London: Institute of Contemporary British History.

‘Rediscovering Islam: a Muslim journey of faith’ in Lamb, C. and Bryant, D. (eds.), Religious Conversion: Contemporary Practices and Controversies, London: Cassell, pp.315-332

‘Sector Ministry in a Sociological Perspective’ in Legood, G. (ed.), Chaplaincy – The Church’s Sector Ministries, London: Cassell, pp.25-37

1998 ‘Back to Basics: The Place of Islam in the Self-Identity of Young British Muslims’ in Clarke, P. (ed.), New Trends and Movements in the World of Islam, London: Luzak Oriental, pp. 93-103


iv) Refereed/Peer-review Journal Articles (

2006 ‘Educating the Ulama: Centres of Islamic Religious Training in Britain’. Islam and Christian- Muslim Relations, 17(1): 55-76

2005 Closed worlds: (not) accessing Deobandi dar ul-uloom in Britain’, Fieldwork in Religion, 1(1): 7- 33

2005 ‘The use of “sacred” space in public institutions: a case study of worship facilities at the Millennium Dome’. Culture and Religion 6(2): 281-302

2005 ‘Sacralising’ sacred space in public institutions: a case study of the Prayer Space at the Millennium Dome. Journal of Contemporary Religion, 20(3): 357-372

2005 ‘Fieldwork Projects in the Sociology of Religion and the Development of Employability Skills: findings from a small-scale study’, Discourse, vol 4(2): 120-135

2004 ‘The Trouble with ‘Inclusion’: a case study of the Faith Zone at the Millennium Dome’, The Sociological Review, 52(4): 459-477

2003 ‘Nursing, Professionalism and Spirituality’, Journal of Contemporary Religion, 18(3):335-349

2003 ‘Ministerial Formation in a Multi-Faith Society’, Teaching Theology and Religion, 6(1):9-17

2003 ‘“Breaking down the classroom walls”: Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods in Religious Studies and Theology - some perspectives from the University of Wales’ PRS-LTSN Journal 2(2):200-210

2002 ‘“No place called home”: Re-imagining Muslim identity and belonging’, Muslim World Book Review, 22(4): 5-15

2002 ‘Islam in European Societies’, Muslim World Book Review, 22(2):5-15

2001 ‘The Fate of the Anglican Clergy and the class of ’97: some implications of the changing sociological profile of ordinands’, Journal of Contemporary Religion 16 (2):209-225

1999 ‘Civic Religion in England: Traditions and Transformations’, Journal of Contemporary Religion, 14 (2): 233-244

1998 ‘Multiculturalism and Identity: their relationship for British Muslims’, Journal – Institute of Muslim
Minority Affairs, 18 (2): 347-354.

‘English Cathedrals and Civic Rituals’, Theology, CI (801):179-188.

‘Comparing and Contrasting Minority Experiences: Christians in Pakistan and Muslims in Britain’, Encounters, 3(2): 175-183.

1997 ‘Muslim Youth Organisations in Britain: a descriptive analysis’, The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 14(1): 99-111.

1995 ‘The life and work of Brother Roger of Taizé' Theology, XCVIII (784): 289-296


vi) Other publications/writing and non-refereed articles

2007 Genetics, Religion and Identity: a study of British Bangladeshis (with Santi Rozario), Cardiff University School of Social Sciences Working Paper 93, ISBN: 9781904815648, pp.105

2007 ‘Muslims in Britain: a brief overview’ – in Engaging Women in Mosques and Community Centres, Cardiff: Muslim Council of Wales, pp. 2-6

2005 ‘Islam and Muslims in Wales’, Agenda, (Institute of Contemporary Welsh Affairs), December.

2002 ‘Inter faith activity in higher education: miracles that don’t make news’, World Faiths Encounter, no.31, (March), pp.31-39

2001 ‘Islam in Britain’, The Daily Telegraph, 15th November (part of 16-page supplement)

2000 ‘Being a Study Group Convenor’, Network (Newsletter of the British Sociological Association), no. 76 (May), pp.25

1999 Higher Education and Student Religious Identity, Exeter: University of Exeter in association with the Inter Faith Network for the UK, pp. vii + 92, ISBN 1 871 597013

1998 ‘Struggle, Interpretation and Dialogue’, World Faiths Encounter, 21: 48-53

Higher Education and Student Religious Identity, Report (unpublished) for the Inter Faith Network for the UK, pp. v + 266

1997 ‘Religious Studies at the University of Warwick’, BASR Bulletin, No.80, pp.11-16.

1996 ‘Dealing with tragedy through inter-faith’, in Dialogue (Newsletter of the Public Affairs Committee for Shi’a Muslims, London), March, pp.2.

The Church of England and Other Faiths in a Multi-faith Society, (with Professor James Beckford) - Report to the Church of England and the Leverhulme Trust, pp. ix + 520

The Church of England and Other Faiths in a Multi-faith Society, (with Professor James Beckford)
Warwick Working Papers in Sociology, Number 21, pp. 53, ISBN 0947829 17 2

‘Inter-faith initiatives tackle aftermath of 25 Cromwell Street’, in Faith Interaction - Newsletter of the Inner Cities Religious Council, Issue 6, (June) pp.6.

‘The prison chaplaincy - the Church of England and Other Faiths Project’ (with Professor James Beckford) in AmBOV Quarterly, 60, April, pp.16-17

‘Prison Chaplaincy and “other faiths”’, Newsheet of the National Advisory Council of Boards of Visitors,2, (with Professor James Beckford), pp.6

1995 ‘The Church of England and Other Faith Communities in a Multi-Faith Society, in World Faiths Encounter, No.10, (with Professor James Beckford)

1994 ‘Safar-e-Justujoo’ in Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an, (Lahore, Pakistan) February, 120(2): 61-74 (subsequently re-printed in Urdu Digest, Pakistan,)

‘Encounters and Confrontations: a review of some recent literature on Islam’, World Faiths Encounter, 7: 57-62.

‘Advertising as a Pseudo-religion', Media Development, January, pp.29-31.

1993 ‘Islamic and Buddhist Doctrines of Personhood: Some Reflections for Interfaith Dialogue', World Faiths Encounter, 6:28-32.

‘Multi-faith Worship: Some Issues and Controversies', World Faiths Encounter, 4: 17-22.

1992 ‘Dialogue at Bendorf', World Faiths Encounter, 2:31-34

‘Divine Health Warning: adverts can damage your sense of religion', Media Development, May, pp.42-44.