The Establishment of Muslim
Schools in the West:
Religion, Identity and the Role of
Education
Prof Marie Parker-Jenkins
University of Limerick
Why have Muslim schools been established in the West during the last two decades? What
does the growth of Muslim schools suggest about the existing provision of government
schools, and more controversially, should educational institutions based on an Islamic ethos
be funded from the public purse? Drawing on my research on Muslim schools in the UK and
elsewhere in non-Islamic states, I explore key discourses surrounding the expansion of the
educational landscape to include Muslim schools. In the Republic of Ireland, where the
Muslim population is just over 32,000, there are currently two Muslim schools with plans for
a further five to accommodate the educational needs of Muslim children. This raises
overlapping issues about personal choice, religious identity and the role of education in an
increasingly multi-faith, multi-ethnic Ireland.
Marie Parker-Jenkins is Professor of Education at the University of Limerick.
3 February 2011, 1pm
ORB 1.01
Fáilte roimh chách / All welcome
For further information: Dr Oliver Scharbrodt, 021-490 2895, o.scharbrodt@ucc.ie
