School of Oriental and African Studies

The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, is a leading institution specializing in the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It is newsworthy due to its involvement in a recent independent inquiry into the 2022 Leicester Hindu-Muslim clashes. Researchers from SOAS, in collaboration with the London School of Economics, conducted the study, which found that online disinformation significantly fueled the violence and highlighted leadership failures from local authorities. This involvement underscores SOAS's expertise in understanding socio-political dynamics within diverse communities and its role in providing evidence-based analysis of complex social issues. The inquiry's findings are relevant to ongoing discussions about community cohesion, the impact of social media on social unrest, and the responsibilities of local governance in addressing inter-community tensions.