How I see the Uganda riots

‘My argument is very simple, by virtue of demographic dictates; any development discourse that leaves out the voices of young people is likely to backfire’. Ambrose Kibuuka, linked to the Pluralism Knowledge Programme through the Yogyakarta Summer School, argues for more serious engagement with Ugandan youth.

Why Muslims Need a Secular State and Western Politics Should not Interfere

Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im meets Maurits Berger on 25 May- Join the Debate! Researcher and activist An-Na'im argues - from a Muslim perspective - for a secular state.To be a Muslim by conviction and free choice, An-Na'im says, he needs a state that is neutral regarding religions. Yet still he thinks that religion should play a bigger role in politics. But which one? This debate is part of a two-day conference on "Promoting Pluralism through Civic Reason?" organised by the Promoting...

Professorial chairs

We give support to professorial chairs at Dutch universities, namely the extraordinary chair of Paul Hoebink at CIDIN together with Oxfam Novib, the chair of Saskia Wieringa at the University of Amsterdam and the chair of Abu Zayd who’s Ibn Rushd chair at the University for Humanistics.

Emily Drani

Emily Drani is the Regional coordinator of the programme in Uganda. She is one of the founder members and executive director of the Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda. CCFU is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting culture as essential for equitable and sustainable development in Uganda. Emily is in charge of much of the Foundation’s research, its advocacy work and its strategic development.

Ram Kakarala

Prof. Ram Kakarala is the Regional Coordinator of the programme in India. He is Director of the Centre for Culture and Society in Bangalore. CSCS was established in 1996 by scholars interested in new approaches to studying culture in India. The need was felt to reframe the social sciences and humanities disciplines to deal with the transformations and political mobilizations currently taking place in the area of gender, caste and community. CSCS understands culture in its most inclusive sens...

Zainal Bagir

Dr. Zainal Abidin Bagir is the Regional Coordinator of the programme in Indonesia. He is Executive Director of the Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies [CRCS] at the Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University. He is one of the authors of the mapping study on the state of pluralism in Indonesia, and involved in the Annual Report on Religious Pluralism. His research interest: higher education in the Muslim context, religion and contemporary issues, and pluralism and interreligious d...

Henk Manschot

Prof. Henk Manschot is Director of the Kosmopolis Institute and the coordinator of the International Consultation Network. His own research focuses on human and sustainable development and cultural knowledges. Apart from that he is one of the key actors in organising and conducting the International Summer School on human rights and human development that takes place annually.

Caroline Suransky

Dr. Caroline Suransky is Deputy Director Kosmopolis Institute, co-chair of the Knowledge Programme and member of the daily management committee. She is responsible for the PhD project and also one of the key actors organizing and conducting the International Summer School that takes place annually. Her own research focuses on identity politics and education & training.

Ethnic and Political Diversity in Uganda

Uganda is an East-African country, bordered by Sudan in the north, Kenya in the east, Lake Victoria as natural border and Tanzania in the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the west. With a population of more than 31 million people, the country is the home of over 40 ethnic groups. It is thus not surprising that the people of Uganda think of ethnic diversity when speaking about ‘pluralism’. There is, however, one other important line of thinking when it comes to pluralism in Ugan...

Pluralism or Unitarianism?

Professor Nasr Abu Zayd gave his lecture entitled "Pluralism or Unitarianism? Perspectives from the Qur’an" on the 2nd of December 2008, in The Hague. Central question addressed in this lecture was to what extent the Qur’anic worldview endorses or inhibits Pluralism. Professor Abu Zayd presented and analysed the existing tension and contradictions in the Qur’an from a historical perspective. You can give your feed-back on the lecture and express your ideas here.