Centre for Hizmet Studies is pleased to launch its latest report, ‘a Hizmet Approach to Rooting out Violent Extremism’, which set out an alternative approach to confront violent extremism that claims an Islamic justification.

The publication offers researchers, policy makers and journalists a summary of Hizmet’s theological refutation of violent extremism. It demonstrates that the core teachings of Hizmet act as a positive counter-narrative to extremist ideology.

Drawing attention to the challenges associated with linear, traditional, reactive policy-making directly aimed at defeating violent extremist ideology, the publication explains the nature and features of Hizmet’s deradicalisation by default approach, which proactively addresses both facets of the radicalisation process: ideology and inculcation.

Speakers Biography

William Baldet (Chair and Discussant), is a Prevent practitioner working in Leicester and is based at the St Philips Centre, an inter-faith charity that specialises in promoting dialogue between communities.

Ismail Mesut Sezgin holds a PhD from Leeds Beckett University on ‘Moral Responsibility and Islam’ and is the Executive Director of the Centre for Hizmet Studies.

Ozcan Keles is a non-practising Barrister, a full-time PhD candidate at the University of Sussex and the Chairperson of the Dialogue Society.

Speakers Biography

Dr Ismail Mesut Sezgin

Executive Director, Centre for Hizmet Studies

Ismail Mesut Sezgin holds a PhD from Leeds Beckett University on 'Moral Responsibility and Islam' and is the Executive Director of the Centre for Hizmet Studies. He is a research assistant in Religion and Society, Regent's Park College, Oxford and a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Governance, Leadership and Global Responsibility at Leeds Business School.

Ozcan Keles

Academic and Chairperson, Dialogue Society

Ozcan is a non-practising Barrister and member of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn. He is the Chairperson of the Dialogue Society; was the Executive Chairperson of the same organisation; the Executive Editor of the peer-reviewed biannual academic Journal of Dialogue Studies and a PhD candidate in the sociology of human rights at the University of Sussex.

William Baldet

Prevent Coordinator, St Philip's Centre

Responsible for the strategic delivery of the UK Government's Prevent (CVE) strategy in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland, and Senior Prevent Advisor to the Home Office, covering East and West Midlands.