Cambridge Festival Speaker Spotlight

Dr James Sunderland is a Research Fellow at the Woolf Institute working on the 'How to continue talking' project. His work aims to explore how interfaith communities can continue meaningful and respectful dialogue and to explore connections and encounters during times of extreme distress, such as after the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the war in Gaza.

James will be speaking in 'Dialogue in times of distress' on Wednesday 2 April at 4pm which will explore the 'How to continue talking' project.

You mentioned the challenges of terms like ‘Zionism’ and ‘genocide’ in interfaith discussions. How can we find common ground on terminology without compromising the validity of differing perspectives?

I think we must accept that different communities are going to approach terms very differently. Zionism can mean vastly different things both within the Jewish community, but also between Jewish, Muslim, and indeed Christian communities for instance. Undergoing acute distress at a time of profound sorrow and worry, communities cannot always be expected to find a middle ground. What is possible however, if providing space to allow communities to listen to each other and understand – even if not agreeing – about what that terminology means to them. Listening to each other’s perspectives is the first step towards better understanding of where someone else is coming from.

Given the geopolitical tensions in Gaza and Israel, what do you believe is the most significant challenge for Muslim-Jewish relations in the UK right now, and how can these challenges be addressed?

One of the most worrying challenges both Muslim and Jewish communities face at the moment is the threat from an emboldened far-right. The riots last summer as well as the alarming rise in antisemitism and islamophobia over the past year and a half have been fed in part by, and in turn encouraged, the far-right. Both Muslims and Jews are targets for such groups. Whilst Israel-Palestine divides the two faith communities, it’s extremely hard for them to work together in a unified way to address the threat from racist, violent groups.

It will take time and plenty of dialogue before tensions surrounding October 7^th 2023 and the war in Gaza begin to settle, but it’s important that all communities can feel their voice is being heard and appreciated so that interfaith communities can begin to rebuild trust and work together to tackle the major issues that face all communities.

In your view, how can social media be harnessed more effectively to encourage positive interfaith dialogue, especially in times of conflict, rather than contributing to division and distress?

Social media has been a real issue for some communities. In the current global moment when tech billionaires are spreading misinformation and sowing division, and when fact checkers are being dispensed with and algorithms are so opaque, it’s a struggle to see how social media can encourage positive interfaith dialogue. Division and distress are sadly parts of what drive engagement on these platforms and keep people coming back to their phones and laptops to check X, Facebook, and TikTok. We need to be incredibly careful how we engage with social media at times when tensions and feelings are running so high.

Certainly, during and since the Covid pandemic, social media has played a vital role in connecting communities and individuals interested in interfaith relations in a common purpose. The ability to organise and share ideas and events has been invaluable as we adjust to a post-pandemic world. It is this function of social media which has the most promise for interfaith groups.

You’ve highlighted the role of faith and interfaith leadership in strengthening relationships. Can you share examples where faith leaders have successfully bridged divides between Muslim and Jewish communities?

In several cases we’ve seen, in the aftermath of October 7^th 2023, Imams and Mosques reached out to Jewish communities to express their shock and sorrow. This simple act of showing solidarity and support was greatly appreciated by the Jewish community when it was facing a genuinely terrifying moment. When this has been reciprocated by Rabbis and Synagogues whilst Muslim communities have been facing rising islamophobia related to recent events, this has often cemented community relations.

Additionally, we saw several examples of faith leaders coming together to publicly stress the importance of dialogue and discussion, even as they were themselves struggling with the issues the conflict brought up. The power of leaders of different faiths, standing together publicly to stress the need for dialogue and empathy should not be understated.

You mentioned the importance of ‘listening groups’ over ‘discussion groups.’ How can we create spaces where people feel truly heard and understood, especially in tense and polarised contexts?

We often focus so much on discussion and dialogue (which are, of course, important) and forget that we also need to focus on listening – arguably the more difficult skill. ‘Listening groups’ focus on allowing people to speak and describe their feelings whilst others listen (rather than interject or discuss these feelings) which can be an extremely useful way of allowing everyone to feel heard.

Space is an important part of the interfaith experience – where can the best conversations be had? Where feels like neutral ground when tensions are high and the issues so polarised? From what we’ve seen, some of the most successful interfaith encounters have run smoothly because of the organiser’s choice and use of space. A room can be set up in a plethora of ways, so how the space is used can really impact the ability of interfaith attendees and members to have a useful and productive session.

Beyond the current events, what long-term strategies do you see as essential for building sustainable, positive Muslim-Jewish relations in the UK, particularly in light of the broader geopolitical challenges?

Joint initiatives which focus on practical matters (environmental work, food provision for the local community, etc) have proven to be excellent ways of bringing faith communities together for a greater good, strengthening relations in the process. Long term projects with achievable goals and visible impacts can help build rapport and long-lasting friendships – something which can help when groups need to weather complex and contentious issues which may otherwise be a source of division.

Government has a part to play here. The last government withdrew its support for the Inter Faith Network (the umbrella organisation which supported local interfaith groups and fostered connections between them), leading to the collapse of the group and the loss of vital networks, just when they were most needed. Even with a small budget, the Labour Government could help to create something to fill this gap, fostering a national body that could connect groups and share examples of best practice when it comes to interfaith relations.