This international workshop will discuss the current situation of the halal economy from the perspective of the concept of ‘accountability’. It, therefore, considers the development of accountability of Islamic economy from the case studies of halal tourism and industry in Muslim societies.

Accountability in Islamic Economy: Transforming Religiosity and Religious Experience in Muslim Societies - 10 November 2023

Presentation

This international workshop will discuss the current situation of the halal economy from the perspective of the concept of ‘accountability’. With the development of Islamic finance and the halal industry in various societies in the Islamic world, Islamic economy has become focal point of discussion in the contemporary global economy. Previous literatures have attempted to consider the development of these economic activities in terms of the religious preferences of Muslim consumers and Islamic principles in economic practices, such as halal consciousness in halal food industry, and avoidance of riba (interest) in Islamic finance.

However, the development of Islamic economic activities is also considered from the perspective of the surrounding market environment, including institutions and norms. In particular, the spread of the concept of audit culture and accountability, defined as being responsible for what one does and be able to offer a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens, becomes the central principle for these economic activities. In this situation, various economic systems and practices have been flourishing. As Marilyn Strathern, François Gauthier and other researchers indicate, the spread of neoliberalism and consumerism has also increased the emphasis on an evidence-based setting under the concept of ‘accountability’.

In this environment, religious experiences and religiosity are also exploring new designs and norms under accountability principles, and various Muslim communities in the world have transformed their social values accordingly, through the development of the Islamic economy, including the halal industry and Islamic finance. This international workshop, therefore, considers the development of accountability of Islamic economy from the case studies of halal tourism and industry in Muslim societies.

In English

Speakers: Yukari SAI (Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Systems Science, Chiba Institute of Technology), Shin YASUDA (Associate Professor, Faculty of Regional Policy, Takasaki City University of Economics)

Registration

Programme

14.00

Opening remarks

• Mayuko YAMAMOTO PhD Candidate, EHESS
• Shin YASUDA Associate Professor, Takasaki City University of Economics

14.10 - 14.40

Presentation 1: Rethinking Halal Tourism in Pious Neoliberalism: Islamic Economy and Moral Accountability in Muslim Societies

• Shin YASUDA Associate Professor, Takasaki City University of Economics

14.40 - 15.10

Presentation 2: Being in Good Faith: Mutual Implications in  Halal Certification in Taiwan

• Yukari SAI Associate Professor, Chiba Institute of Technology

15.10 | General discussion

15.50 | Closing remarks

• Mayuko YAMAMOTO PhD Candidate, EHESS
• Shin YASUDA Associate Professor, Takasaki City University of Economics

Participants

Yukari SAI (Associate Professor, Chiba Institute of Technology) : Yukari Sai is an Associate Professor in Faculty of Social Systems Science, Chiba Institute of Technology, Japan. Her research interests include cultural anthropology of food and eating, halal industry in East Asia and Southeast Asia. She published several books and chapters in Japanese and English including ‘Muslim food consumption in China: Between qingzhen and halal’ in Halal Matters: Islam, Politics and Markets in Global Perspective (Routledge, 2016).

Mayuko YAMAMOTO (PhD candidate, EHESS) : Mayuko Yamamoto is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the Centre d’Études Sociologiques et Politiques Raymond Aron (CESPRA) at EHESS. After completion of her Master degrees in Contemporary Philosophies (University of Tsukuba, Japan) and Political Studies (EHESS), she currently conducts a PhD project on Muslim private schooling in France and the UK. Focusing on their daily practices in the civic and religious socializations scenery, this study aims to describe how the actors negotiate, adjust, and readapt their learning between the public values and Islamic norms.

Shin YASUDA (Associate Professor, Takasaki City University of Economics) : Shin Yasuda is an Associate Professor in Faculty of Regional Policy, Takasaki City University of Economics, Japan. He is also associate editor of Journal of Islamic Tourism, and editorial board member of International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage. His research interests include Islamic tourism and religious tourism in Islamic countries, history of tourism in Middle Eastern countries, and theoretical studies in anthropology of tourism. He published edited book with Razaq Raj and Kevin Griffin titled Religious Tourism in Asia: Tradition and Change through Case Studies and Narratives (CABI, 2018), and various articles on Islamic tourism and religious tourism in English and Japanese.