Merryl Wyn Davies
Encyclopedia
Merryl Wyn Davies is a Welsh
Muslim
scholar, writer and broadcaster who specializes in Islam
, and the co-author of many books and articles with Ziauddin Sardar
. A leading exponent of Islamic anthropology, she is Director of the Muslim Institute, London.
, Wales
. After reading anthropology at University College, London, Davies began a distinguished career in broadcasting and journalism. Following jobs with local Welsh newspapers, and a stint with BBC Radio, Davies spent a decade with BBC TV Religious programmes, working on such award-winning shows as ‘Everyman’, ‘Heart of the Matter’ and ‘Global Report’ and the acclaimed series, ‘Encounters with Islam’. In 1985 she left the BBC to write independently and to work for the London based Muslim magazine Inquiry. During the 1990s, she worked as advisor and speech writer for Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister and now the Leader of the Opposition; and produced the ‘Faces of Islam’ series for TV3 Malaysia. She returned to UK in 1996 to the UK and became Media Officer for the Muslim Council of Britain. In 2009, she joined the Muslim Institute of London to become its Director.
In her seminal work, Knowing One Another: Shaping an Islamic Anthropology, Davies developed a new mode of inquiry which she described, ‘after ibn Khaldun, as ilm ul umran’ : a radical discourse shaped by dialogue between civilisations and cultures and based on an holistic understanding of what it means to be human. Anthropology, Davies argued, is basic to fostering understanding between and amongst people. It equips Muslims with both self-knowledge and the understanding to treat non-Muslims with tolerance. Such knowledge will enable Muslims to play a constructive part in the modern world’s constructive future.
In three books on America, written with Ziauddin Sardar, Davies develops ‘laws of American mythology’ (‘Fear is essential’; ‘Escape is the reason for being’, ‘America is the idea of nation’, ‘American democracy has the right to be imperial and express itself through empire’, ‘cinema is the engine of empire’ etc ) which, she argues, are essential to understand the psychology of America the security state, its foreign policy and international behaviour. An expert on Hollywood, Davies uses the classics of American cinema to make her arguments.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
scholar, writer and broadcaster who specializes in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and the co-author of many books and articles with Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar is a London-based scholar, writer and cultural-critic who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations...
. A leading exponent of Islamic anthropology, she is Director of the Muslim Institute, London.
Biography
Merryl Wyn Davies was born on 23 June 1948 in Merthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. After reading anthropology at University College, London, Davies began a distinguished career in broadcasting and journalism. Following jobs with local Welsh newspapers, and a stint with BBC Radio, Davies spent a decade with BBC TV Religious programmes, working on such award-winning shows as ‘Everyman’, ‘Heart of the Matter’ and ‘Global Report’ and the acclaimed series, ‘Encounters with Islam’. In 1985 she left the BBC to write independently and to work for the London based Muslim magazine Inquiry. During the 1990s, she worked as advisor and speech writer for Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister and now the Leader of the Opposition; and produced the ‘Faces of Islam’ series for TV3 Malaysia. She returned to UK in 1996 to the UK and became Media Officer for the Muslim Council of Britain. In 2009, she joined the Muslim Institute of London to become its Director.
Thought
A noted writer on Islam, Davies pioneered a new approach to Islamic anthropology and a highly original critique of America based on Hollywood films.In her seminal work, Knowing One Another: Shaping an Islamic Anthropology, Davies developed a new mode of inquiry which she described, ‘after ibn Khaldun, as ilm ul umran’ : a radical discourse shaped by dialogue between civilisations and cultures and based on an holistic understanding of what it means to be human. Anthropology, Davies argued, is basic to fostering understanding between and amongst people. It equips Muslims with both self-knowledge and the understanding to treat non-Muslims with tolerance. Such knowledge will enable Muslims to play a constructive part in the modern world’s constructive future.
In three books on America, written with Ziauddin Sardar, Davies develops ‘laws of American mythology’ (‘Fear is essential’; ‘Escape is the reason for being’, ‘America is the idea of nation’, ‘American democracy has the right to be imperial and express itself through empire’, ‘cinema is the engine of empire’ etc ) which, she argues, are essential to understand the psychology of America the security state, its foreign policy and international behaviour. An expert on Hollywood, Davies uses the classics of American cinema to make her arguments.
Books
- Introducing Anthropology, Icon Books, Cambridge, 2002
- Darwin and fundamentalism (2000)
- Beyond Frontiers: Islam and Contemporary Needs, Mansell, London, 1989
- Knowing one another: shaping an Islamic anthropology (1988)
With Ziauddin Sardar
- Will America Change? Icon Books, Cambridge, 2008
- American Dream, Global Nightmare, Icon Books, Cambridge, 2004
- The No Nonsense Guide to Islam, Verso, London, 2004
- Why Do People Hate America?, Icon Books, London, 2003
- Barbaric Others: A Manifesto on Western Racism , Pluto Press, London, 1993 (also with Ashis NandyAshis NandyAshis Nandy is an Indian political psychologist, a social theorist, and a contemporary cultural and political critic. A trained sociologist and clinical psychologist, his body of work covers a variety of topics, including public conscience, mass violence, and dialogues of civilizations.He was...
) - Distorted Imagination: Lessons from the Rushdie Affair, Grey Seal/Berita Publishing, London/Kuala Lumpur, 1990
- Faces of Islam: Conversations on Contemporary Issues, Berita Books, Kuala Lumpur, 1989