INVITATION: Launch - Centre on Radicalisation, Inclusion and Social Equity

INVITATION: Launch of the Centre on Radicalisation, Inclusion and Social Equity (RISE)

Date: Tuesday 19 May 2026

Time: 08:30 – 16:30 (Registration from 08:30, programme begins 09:00)

Venue: Conference Aston – Hotel and Conference Centre, Aston University, Birmingham

Contact: Project Manager, Mahvesh Ibrar, ([email protected])

Overview

We invite you to the launch of the Centre on Radicalisation, Inclusion and Social Equity (RISE) at Aston University, marking an important moment for critical security studies in Britain. At a time of intensifying political polarisation, resurgent ethno-nationalist violence and the growing presence of preventative security infrastructures within everyday governance, RISE offers a clear intellectual alternative.

The Centre brings together expertise from criminology, sociology, politics, forensic linguistics and digital humanities to rethink conventional approaches to radicalisation and violent extremism through a social justice lens. Rather than focusing narrowly on individual behaviour and risk management, RISE examines the wider structural dynamics of racism, social exclusion and state power that shape contemporary forms of violence and insecurity.

We challenge prevailing counter-extremism approaches characterised by narrow behavioural psychology, risk management logics and state-centred securitisation that individualise radicalisation while obscuring the structural dynamics of racism, social exclusion and institutional Islamophobia. Instead, we reposition the study of violent extremism within a critical criminological and socio-political framework that prioritises social justice, interdisciplinary rigour and ethically grounded intervention.

This is not a ceremonial launch, but a statement of intent: to move from critique to construction; to centre communities most directly affected by securitisation as partners in knowledge production rather than subjects of study; and to create space for new forms of dialogue, research and practice between academics, practitioners, policymakers and civil society.

The Programme

The day unfolds as a cumulative intellectual trajectory, bringing together academics, practitioners, policymakers, community organisations and those with lived experience to explore how questions of radicalisation, extremism and security might be approached differently.

Critical Foundations (Chaired by Professor Gabe Mythen)

Opening the day with scholarly interrogation of existing frameworks, featuring Professor Charlotte Heath-Kelly’s critique of Prevent, Professor Mark McCormack’s analysis of the criminalisation of dissent, and Dr Narzanin Massoumi on race and capital in counter-radicalisation policy.

Digital Frontiers (Chaired by Professor Tim Grant)

Examining algorithmic radicalisation and AI-driven border controls with Dr Richard McNeil-Willson and Dr Joseph Dowling, alongside practitioner perspectives from the British Muslim Trust.

Collaborative Futures

Addressing the challenges of engaging policy without co-optation, bringing together funders, regional governance actors and academics to identify viable pathways for equitable security provision.

Community Voices

Concluding with grounded, reflective insights from youth workers, faith leaders, former Channel practitioners and families affected by extremism.

With a 40:60 balance of internal and external speakers and 30% of platform time dedicated to non-academic contributors, the event maintains both scholarly depth and public engagement. There will be ample time for discussion, networking and the development of new partnerships across sectors.

A full programme and speaker details will be shared closer to the date.

Practical Information

Registration

Attendance is free but registration is essential. Please confirm your place via Eventbrite.

Car Parking

Onsite parking must be booked and paid for online prior to arrival. A valid Vehicle Registration Number is required when booking. A map and car park access code will be emailed with your confirmation.

Book online: www.conferenceaston.co.uk/carparking

If our car park is fully booked, nearby pay-and-display parking is available at Millennium Point (pre-booking not required). Details at www.conferenceaston.co.uk

Accessibility

The venue is fully accessible. Please email [email protected] to request accessible parking or to discuss any specific access requirements.

Contact

For queries regarding the programme, speaker line-up or registration, please contact Mahvesh Ibrar at [email protected].

Join us as we enact RISE’s central proposition: effective security research must also be socially equitable. We look forward to welcoming you to Birmingham for this important conversation.

Professor Tahir Abbas FRSA FAcSS, founding director of the RISE Centre, Aston University

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