The Aston History team welcomes multicultural education expert, activist, and academic Dr Karamat Iqbal in a public event to explore past and present experiences of South Asian communities in Birmingham. Dr Iqbal will speak about his own journey from a village in Kashmir to early 1970s Birmingham. He will reflect on the multiple transformations of his own identity and both the trauma and the opportunities that came with them. Dr Iqbal’s talk will be followed by a panel discussion on the past, present, and future of diversity in Birmingham and the UK, exploring themes such as language, religion, and education.
Outline of event
5:30pm Doors officially open, light refreshments
6:00–6:05pm Welcome by Dr Marcello Giovanelli, Head of the Department of Communication and Culture, Aston University
6:05–6:15pm British approaches to diversity in global historical perspective, Dr Volker Prott
6:15–7:00pm Postwar Asian Birmingham: A participant’s observations, Dr Karamat Iqbal
7:00–7:30pm Panel discussion: The past, present, and future of diversity in Birmingham and the UK (Dr Karamat Iqbal, Dr Volker Prott, Dr Tahmineh Tayebi, and a current student tbc, moderated by Dr Ilaria Scaglia)
7:30–7:45pm Q&A
7:45pm Closing