Islamophobia: What's the Problem?

Waleed Aly is one of Australia’s most respected and versatile media talents. His writing regularly appears in The Guardian, The Monthly, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He is the author of What’s Right? The Future of Conservatism in Australia (Quarterly Essay 37). Waleed is a lecturer in politics at Monash University, working in their Global Terrorism Research Centre.

Aftab Malik is a distinguished figure in the field of strengthening social cohesion and a thought leader in Australian countering violent extremism policy and program design. He has dedicated nearly a decade of his career to public service within the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Premier's Department. Throughout his tenure, Aftab has continued to work successfully with a diverse network of major peak bodies, organisations, and critical stakeholders, sustaining deep ties of trust and respect. 

Among Aftab’s notable achievements include spearheading the first Government-funded conference in Australia that examined the impacts of the extremist right-wing and Islamophobia on social cohesion after the 15 March 2019 terrorist attack in New Zealand. 

His international influence extends beyond Australia. Aftab has previously served as a Board Advisor to the British Council's "Our Shared Future" project, headquartered in Washington DC, underscoring his global commitment to fostering intercultural dialogue. 

Recognized as a permanent designated "Global Expert" on Muslim Affairs by the UN Alliance of Civilisations, Aftab's knowledge and subject matter expertise have been invaluable in advancing cross-cultural understanding and cooperation on a global scale. 

In 2009, Aftab was acknowledged as a Muslim Leader of Tomorrow, by The Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow; the largest global program creating a new generation of Muslim civic leadership. Renowned scholar Professor John L. Esposito (Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.) has lauded Aftab as “a first-rate scholar”, while the academic journal, The Muslim World Book Review, referred to him as “a rising intellectual star”. Professor Philip Lewis, Department of Peace Studies (University of Bradford, UK) noted that Aftab is at the cutting-edge of research on Islam and at the heart of a group of young, emerging Muslim scholars, as well as established scholars. 

Aftab Malik's multifaceted contributions to academia, public service, and international diplomacy underscore his unwavering commitment to strengthen social cohesion, and challenging hate and extremism.