Charles Sturt University (CSU) will co-host the 2^nd Australasian Conference on Islam: Radicalisation and Islamophobia in Sydney at the end of November.

The conference is being organised by the CSU Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation in collaboration with the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy Australia.

The Director of the CSU Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation and lecturer in theology, philosophy and history Associate Professor Mehmet Ozalp (pictured) said a different approach is needed to understand and resolve the problems of radicalisation and Islamophobia.

"The terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November, the earlier recent bomb attacks in Lebanon and Turkey, and the bomb-caused crash of the Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula show that we are up against something different that threatens the world," Professor Ozalp said.

"Thus, there is a need to approach the problem differently because it can no longer be seen as Muslims against the West, but instead it is radicalisation of all sorts against moderates, Muslim and non-Muslim.

"In this context, radicalisation and Islamophobia could be seen as manifestations of the same problem feeding one another.

"We need to understand their characteristics and relationships. When we do we have the opportunity to find new solutions and collaborate to address them in ways not possible before. This conference aims to achieve just that," he said.

The 2^nd Australasian Conference on Islam - Radicalisation and Islamophobia: Roots, Relationships and Implications in Religiously Diverse Societies will address topics such as:

The problem of reactive co-radicalisation; Radicalism, counter-radicalism and mental health; Avoiding unintended consequences in implementing counterterrorism policies; Politics of gender and Islamophobia in radical discourse; Counterterrorism programs and the dynamic of co-radicalisation; Between reporting and influence: media, radicalisation and Islamophobia; The relationship between fear, identity and radicalisation; Muslim community response to extremism and Islamophobia;
Racism and stereotypes: the experience of Europe, UK and Australia; Practical initiatives in challenging extremist narratives; Public discourse and the fuelling of Islamophobia.

Professor Ozalp said the conference will enable distinguished international and local academics to provide invaluable insights and solutions to the problems of radicalisation and Islamophobia.

"This is an excellent opportunity to learn from, interact and network with experts across diverse disciplines," Professor Ozalp said. "Academics, students, community leaders, social activists and all others interested are invited to attend."

The 2^nd Australasian Conference on Islam is from 8.30am to 5pm Monday 30 November and Tuesday 1 December at the Novotel Hotel, 350 Church Street, Parramatta, in Sydney.

For more information and to register please visit http://www.ausconfislam.net or contact the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy Australia on (02) 9649 9040.