Amanullah De Sondy

I am a Scotsman with Pakistani heritage who studied for all his degrees in Scotland.  Beginning with a BA (Hons) in Religious Studies and Education Studies and the Diploma in Education from the University of Stirling.  Subsequently a Master of Literature (M.Litt) in Islamic Jerusalem Studies from the University of Abertay Dundee and a Ph.D in Theology and Religious Studies from the ancient University of Glasgow (Est. 1451).  My Ph.D thesis was titled ‘Constructions of Masculinities in Islamic Traditions, Societies and Cultures, with a specific focus on India and Pakistan between the 18th-21st Century’ under the supervision of Dr. Lloyd Ridgeon.  I am currently negotiating a book contract to publish this as the first monograph on Islamic Masculinities – an exciting and timely discussion.  I also studied Arabic and Islamic Studies in France, Syria and Jordan.

I have worked on a variety of teaching and research projects.  During my doctoral studies I was the Ford Foundation New York Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow as the lead researcher on a one-year project funded ($160,000) by the Ford Foundation New York titled ‘Philanthropy for Social Justice in the British Muslim Societies’.  I worked closely under the supervision of Professor Abdullahi Ahmed An-Nai`m who is Charles Howard Candler Professor of Law at Emory University who has since been become a great friend and mentor.  This project sought to explore the connection between philanthropic activity amongst British Muslims and social justice. I presented the final conclusions nationally and internationally and have written a chapter in an edited book which covers the findings of the six countries that were involved in this project (including India, Tanzania, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey).  I also organized an international conference on the subject at the University of Glasgow in 2004.

I arrive at Ithaca College with a strong teaching background as my first degree qualified me as a High School Teacher of Religious Education.  I was a registered teacher for the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).  Religious Education being a compulsory subject by law to be taught in Scottish schools from primary through to secondary education with three important components – Christianity, World Religions and Personal Search, allowing kids to explore religious education in the most enjoyable and personal manner.  I was the first, if not only, Muslim teacher of religious education to have a profile amongst education authorities in Scotland and this led me to play a key role in Religious Education in Scottish schools.  I was an Executive Member of the Association for the Teaching of Religious Education in Scotland (ATRES) and was often called upon to organize seminars/programs for teachers on the subject of Islam in schools.  I also worked as a consultant to the Scottish Qualifications Authority authoring various publications on Islam, and was a consultant to the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland (CERES), University of Edinburgh on an Anti-Sectarianism Project and The European Commission and Socrates Programme Lingua 2 Project 2003-2005 to direct and administer a Hungarian syllabus of Religious Education in Church based schooling.  I was also a Visiting Lecturer on Religious Education at Jordanhill College of Education and also the Education Faculty at the University of Glasgow. 

I also have an interest in the intersection and evaluation of the Scottish Enlightenment thinkers and writers, from David Hume to Scotland's national poet Rober Burns amongst others, and the study of Islamic theology, philosophy and practice.  I must acknowledge this interest to another mentor, Alexander Broadie who is Professor of Logic and Rhetoric at the University of Glasgow.   

In amongst my interest in primary and secondary education I was also furthering my teaching skills in higher education and taught Islamic Studies and religious studies within the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow from 2003-2009 and was a Visiting Lecturer in Islamic Studies at my ‘alma mater’ at the University of Stirling too.  I successfully put together a part time evening course in Islamic Studies at the University of Glasgow for anyone and everyone who had an interest in the subject and my teaching skills very highly praised in the national media.  These teaching endeavors led me to be short-listed for the University of Glasgow Teaching Excellence Award 2007.

I have an interest in presenting the study of Islam and Muslims in the media and this has led to my regular contribution to BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Thought for the Day’ and also being called upon in the UK national media on issues relating to religion in general and Islam in particular.  I also addressed the Scottish Parliament with a ‘Time for Reflection’ at the beginning of parliamentary affairs in May 2008.  I have an active interest in Interfaith dialogue and action and have spoken and participated in conferences on such matters globally – from the Vatican’s Gregorian Pontifical University in Rome to the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.  I am currently on the Steering Committee for the Men’s Studies in Religion Group at the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and have presented papers and organized panels at the AAR also.

I write a blog on 'Progressive Scottish Muslims' in hope to open up the critical and timely debates on Islam and speak Urdu, Punjabi and Arabic.  In my spare time I run half marathons, swim, go to the gym, play tennis and am very proud to have been an umpire at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London in 2008 and 2009 and do believe Andy Murray will win a grand slam very soon :)

Publications:

Teaching Resources:

A, De Sondy, ‘Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies – World Religions – Islam’, National Qualifications Curriculum Support, Learning Teaching Scotland (LTS), Scotland, 2005 pp96

A, De Sondy, ‘Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies – Morality in the Modern World' – Islam, National Qualifications Curriculum Support, Learning Teaching Scotland (LTS), Scotland, 2005 pp24

Academic Articles and Chapters:

A, De Sondy, ‘Philanthropy for Social Justice in British Muslim Societies’, Chapter in book to be published under patronage of Ford Foundation New York and Edited by Professor Ebrahim Moosa, Duke University (forthcoming)

A, De Sondy, 'Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib: A 19th Century Mughal Poet Performing Spiritual Hedonisms Through Art’, article accepted for publication by organisers of University of Glasgow ‘Art, Religion, Identity’ International Symposium (forthcoming)

Other/Media Publications:

A, De Sondy, ‘Faith in Tolerance Can Defeat Terror’, Times Educational Supplement (TES), August 2005

A, De Sondy, ‘The Truth Behind Islamic Images’, Tablet Catholic Weekly, February 2006

A, De Sondy, ‘After Regensburg: Rescuing the Dialogue’. The Catholic Herald, September 2006

A. De Sondy, ‘To Israel and Back’. Interreligious Insight: A Journal of Dialogue and Engagement, July 2007
A. De Sondy, 'Islam's Silent Majority are Happy in Secular Scotland', Sunday Times, July 2007

A. De Sondy, ‘Professor studies ties between Islam and sexuality’, The Ithacan, August 2009

Book Reviews (Invited):

Review of Prior, M (ed.) ‘Speaking the Truth: Zionism, Israel and Occupation’, Interlink Publishing, 2004 in Journal of Political Theology, Vol. 8, No3, 2007

Review of El Awaisi, A, F, ‘Introducing Islamic Jerusalem’, Al Maktoum Institute Academic Press, 2005 in British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 34, Number 2, August 2007

Review of Netton, I, ‘Islam, Christianity and Tradition – A Comparative Exploration’, Edinburgh University Press, 2006 in British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, (Forthcoming)

Review of Wood, S, A, ‘Christian Criticisms, Islamic Proofs – Rashid Rida’s Modernist Defence of Islam’, Oneworld Publications, 2008 in British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, (Forthcoming)

Grants and Awards:

Research:

July 2003 - Ford Foundation New York, $100,000 for a project on ‘Philanthropy for Social Justice in British Muslim Societies’.  This was one of six country studies, which included, India (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi), Indonesia (State Islamic University, UIN, Jakarta), Tanzania (University of Dar-es-Salaam), Turkey (TUSEV, Third Sector Foundation of Turkey) and Egypt (American University in Egypt) and Centre for Development Studies, Cairo)

Dec. 2004 - Ford Foundation New York, $52,000 additional grant for the final findings to be presented at an International Conference in Glasgow

Sep. 2005 - University of Glasgow, Department of Theology and Religious Studies awarded £700 bursary for doctoral studies.

Sep. 2008 - University of Glasgow, Senate Office awarded the Findlanter Prize for Excellence in Divinity (Est. 1871) - £318

Travel:

July 2003 - Ford Foundation New York – Travel/Subsistence Grant: $5,000, Island of Bali, Indonesia

June 2004 - Institute for International Education (IIE), New York – Travel/Subsistence Grant: $5,000 – Cairo, Egypt

Sep. 2004 - Ford Foundation New York – Travel and Subsistence Grant: $5,000 – Istanbul, Turkey

May 2005 - Institute for International Education (IIE), New York –  Travel/Subsistence Grant: $2,000 – New York, USA

Sep. 2005 - Institute for International Education (IIE), New York – Travel/Subsistence Grant: $2,000 – Rome, Italy

Feb. 2006, 2007, 2008 - Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem: Travel/Subsistence Grant:  $10,000

August 2008 - International Summer School on Religion and Public Life, Birmingham University, UK by invitation of Professor Adam Seligman, University of Boston.  All expenses covered.