About

My Emeritus Professor status and role is primarily concerned with the conduct of research and related publication, together with other forms of dissemination and impact.

Research interests

I have particular research interests and expertise in the relationships between religion or belief, state(s) and society(ies), with particular reference to the UK and the EU. This includes interests in the relationships between:

• religions, race, ethnicity, and culture
• religion and belief representation in the state and public life
• religion and belief discrimination, freedom, human rights and equal opportunities
• religion and belief statistics
• the dynamics, ideologies and theologies of inter-faith/convictional relations, inter-faith/convictional dialogue
• Baptist Christian theology and ecclesiology in relation to religion and belief plurality, freedom and equality
• the Fethullah Gűlen/Hizmet movement

Recent publications

Fuller Publication Record

Searchable via Paul Weller's work in the University of Derby's Research Repository 

Authored Books

• Paul Weller, Hizmet in Transitions: European Developments of a Turkish Muslim-Inspired Movement, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2022. 
• Paul Weller, Fethullah Gülen’s Teaching and Practice: Inheritance, Context and Interactive Development, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2002.  
• Paul Weller, A Mirror for our Times: The Rushdie Affair and the Future of Multiculturalism, Continuum, London, 2009.
• Paul Weller, Religious Diversity in the UK: Contours and Issues, Continuum, London, 2008.
• Paul Weller, Time for a Change: Reconfiguring Religion, State and Society, T & T Clark, London, 2005.

Co-Authored Books

• Paul Weller, Kingsley Purdam, Nazila Ghanea, and Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor, Religion or Belief, Discrimination and Equality: Britain in Global Contexts, Bloomsbury, London, 2013.

Edited and Co-Edited Books

• Oemer Sener, Frances Sleap and Paul Weller, eds., Dialogue Theories 2, London: The Dialogue Society, London. 2016.
• Paul Weller and Frances Sleap, Gülen on Dialogue, Centre for Hizmet Studies, London, 2014. Open Access online at:      
• Frances Sleap, Oemer Sener and Paul Weller, eds., Dialogue Theories, London: The Dialogue Society, 2013.
• Ihsan Yilmaz, Greg Barton and Paul Weller, eds., The Muslim World and Politics in Transition: Creative Contributions of the Gülen Movement, London: Bloomsbury, 2013.
• Ihsan Yilmaz and Paul Weller, eds., European Muslims, Civility and Public Life: Perspectives on and From the Gülen Movement, London: Continuum, 2012.
• Paul Weller, Religions in the UK: A Directory, 2007-10, Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Derby, in association with the University of Derby, Derby, 2007.
• P. Weller, Religions in the UK: A Directory, 2001-3, Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Derby in association with the Inter Faith Network for the UK, Derby, 2003.
• Paul Weller, Religions in the UK: A Multi-Faith Directory, University of Derby in association with the Inter Faith Network for the UK, Derby, 1997.
• Paul Weller, Religions in the UK: A Multi-Faith Directory, University of Derby in association with the Inter Faith Network for the UK, Derby, 1993.

Book Chapters Since 2020:

• Paul Weller, “What Evidence on Whose Terms? Policy-Relevant Religion or Belief Research”, in Linda Woodhead, Nicole Graham, Louisa Cadman (eds.), Messy Methods in Researching Religion, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2020, pp. 342-353.
• Paul Weller, “ ‘The Problems of the White Ethnic Majority’ Revisited: a Personal, Theological and Political Review”, in Al Barrett, Jill Marsh and Anthony Reddie (eds.), Towards a Critical White Theology, Routledge, London, 2020, pp. 298-311.
• Paul Weller, “Less Christian, More Secular and More Religiously Plural: 21st Century Census Data as Contextual Challenge and Opportunity for Christian Presence and Witness in England”, in Victoria Turner, Ben Aldous, Peniel Rajkumar and Harvey Kiwani (eds.), “Lived” Mission in 21st Century Britain: Ecumenical and Postcolonial Perspectives, SCM Press, London, 2024, pp. 201-218.
• Paul Weller, “Coming Full Circle: Christianity, Empire, Whiteness, The Global Majority, and the Struggles of Migrants and Refugees in Britain”, in Anthony Reddie and Carol Troupe, (eds.), Deconstructing Whiteness, Empire and Mission, SCM Press, London, 2023, pp. 173-192.
• Paul Weller, “The ‘Non-Religious’ in Religion and Worldviews Education and in the Light of Human Rights Law,” in Md Jahid Hossain Bhuiyan and Ann Black (eds.), Religious Freedom in Secular States: A 21^st Century Perspective, chapter 5, Volume 15 in Series on Studies in Religion, Secular Beliefs and Human Rights, Brill, Leiden, 2022, pp. 95–124.
• Paul Weller, “Historical Dissenting Christian Academies and Contemporary Muslim Educational Institutions: Contexts, Comparisons, Resonances and Contrasts”, in R. Hood and Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor (eds.), Lesser Heard Voices in Studies of Religion, chapter 7, Volume 32 of Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, Brill, Leiden, 2022, pp. 125-146.
• Paul Weller, “The Potentialities of Love in Social, Political and Economic Contexts,” in Paul Fiddes (ed), Love as Common Ground: Inter-Faith Essays on Love in Religion, Chapter 15, Lexington Books, 2021, pp. 311-332.

Journal Articles Since 2020:

• Paul Weller, “The Inter Faith Network for the UK (1987–2024): An Historical Overview and Preliminary Evaluation of Its Achievements, Challenges and Potential Inheritances“, Religions, 2026, 17(2). 
• P. Weller, "Between Opposition and Dialogue: Anti-Racist and Anti-Fascist Practice Informed by Baptist Tradition”, Journal of European Baptist Studies, 25, 2, 2025, pp. 21-43. 
• Paul Weller, “COVID-19 and Christian Faith-Based Organizations in Great Britain: A Research and Resource Review of Organizational, Financial and Human Contributions and Impacts in the Context of a Wider ‘Christian Ecology’ ”, Religions, 2024, 15, 3, 315. Open Access at: 
• Paul Weller, “The Possibilities and Limits of Dialogue in a World of Political Populisms: A Positional Editorial Reflection", Journal of Dialogue Studies, 12, 2024, pp. 7-21. 
• Paul Weller, “ ‘The Problems of the White Ethnic Majority’ Revisited: A Personal, Theological and Political Review”, Practical Theology, 15, 1, 2022, pp. 23-36. 
• Paul Weller, “Editorial Introduction - Inter-Religious and Inter-Convictional Dialogue: Overview of a Dialogical Process and Its Products”, in Journal of Dialogue Studies, 10, 2022, pp. 7-21.
• Paul Weller, “Historical Sources and Contemporary Resources of Minority Christian Churches: A Baptist Contribution”, Internationale Kirchliche Zeitschrift, 111, 3-4, July-December 2021, pp. 140-157. Open Access at: 
• Paul Weller, “Changing Socio-Religious Realities, Practical Negotiation of Transitions in the Governance of Religion or Belief, State and Society,” Internationale Kirchliche Zeitschrift/Bern Oecumenical Studies, special edition on “Secular Society and Religious Presence: Religion-State Relations”, 5, published in themed edition of Interreligious Dialogue, 30 (2), 2020, pp. 145-162.

Research Reports Since 2010

• Rees, James; Caulfield, Laura; Wilson, Sophie; Ouillon, Sinead; Booth, Jane; Peacock, Lucy; Paffett, Emily; Wilson, Susannah and Paul Weller, Innovation and Enterprise Across the Social Economy in Recovery from COVID-19 Final Report: Report for the West Midlands Combined Authority, Wolverhampton University, Wolverhampton, 2020. 

• Kristin Aune, Lucy Peacock, Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor and Paul Weller, Religion and Belief-Related Hate Incidents in Higher Education: A Research and Evaluation Report, Coventry: Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, 2020. 

• Kristin Aune, Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor, Jane Osmond, Lucy Peacock, and Paul Weller, Tackling Religion or Belief-Related Harassment and Hate Incidents: A Guide for Higher Education Providers. Coventry: Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University, 2020 Online only at: 

Membership of professional bodies

• Since 1997, a Member of the Baptist Historical Society 
• Since 2008, a Member of the Board of Advisers of the Dialogue Society
• Since 2025, a Member of the Interfaith Council for the Security of Places of Worship in Europe 

Professional interests

I am a member of the:

• University of Derby Court
• Strategic Peer Review College of the Arts and Humanities Research Council

I am also a reviewer for:

• grants on religious and racial discrimination of the European Commission Directorate General Justice and Consumers
• The European Union Research Agency

I am an Academic Editor of:

• the open access Journal for Dialogue Studies (since 2015)

And finally, I am an Editorial Board Member of the:

• Religions and Theologies section and the Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences sections of the Open Access online journal (since 2016)
• Journal for Islamic Studies (since 2017)

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• BA (Hons), Theology, University of Oxford
• MA University of Oxford
• MPhil Social and Pastoral Theology, University of Manchester
• PhD Religious Studies, University of Leeds
• DLitt for "distinguished contribution to inter-religious dialogue and pluralism in the changing religious landscape of the United Kingdom", University of Derby

Professional Qualifications 

• Certificate in Education, Further and Higher Education, Council for National Academic Awards/Derbyshire College of Higher Education                         
• Managing Safely Certificate, Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
• Accredited Trainer, Belieforama Religious Diversity and Anti-Discrimination Training Programme and Community of Practice

Recent conferences

During my academic career, locally, nationally and internationally, in total I have given over 260 conference papers and have made over 230 presentation inputs at workshops and other events relating to my research expertise, as well as having been an invited panel discussant.

In the UK, during 2025, this has included:

• the Free Churches Education Group
• the William Temple Foundation and Ripon College, Cuddesdon
• the Inter Faith Network for the UK
• the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture, Regent's Park College
• Oxford University
• the Queen Mary University of London
• Raphael Samuel History Centre
• and Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Centre and Education Trust at Manchester City Library.

Internationally, during 2025, this has included:

• the Respect Graduate School and Peace Islands Institute, at Drew University, USA
• the Online Conference on Belonging Together: Migrants, Refugees, Displaced People, and Global Solidarity, Hub of Europe Programme
• the Protone Project Final Conference at the Pontifical Institute of the Holy Cross, Rome, Italy
• the Verband für gesellschaftliches Engagement e.V. (VGE); Stiftung Dialog und Bildung; and Forum Dialog e.V, at the Haus de EKD, Berlin, Germany.

Experience in industry

Outside of the Academy, I have experience of employment as:

• a Minister of Religion in a group of Baptist and United Reformed Churches in Manchester
• a Community Relations Officer (with responsibilities for racial justice and inter-faith relations) for the Greater Manchester County Ecumenical Council
• Field Officer for the Community and Race Relations Unit of the (former) British Council of Churches
• Employment Officer for the London Churches' Employment Development Unit
• Resources Officer for the Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom.

Since my retirement from full-time academic employment, I was also, for a number of years, Director of my own company: Religion and Belief Research and Training Ltd.

In the media

I have done interviews on local radio programmes on a range of topics related to religion. I have have also broadcast on national radio in the UK, in both extended interviews and programmes, as well as in news bulletins, on national radio in Sweden and local radio in the USA.

I have been interviewed for both regional and national television in the UK, as well as for satellite broadcast stations broadcasting to the Arab world. I have also participated in podcasts and other forms of online discussion and engagement.

International experience

I am a dual British-German national and live between both the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany. I have considerable international experience over nearly half a century, which began with work for the Christian Churches in East-West relations in the context of the Cold War, and further developed in the context of four decades of academic and related work.

Over this time, I have worked in/spoken at conferences in:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Czechia
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Hungary
• India
• Israel
• Italy
• Jordan
• Malta
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Türkiye
• United States

I have experience as a Reviewer for grant applications to the European Commission's Directorate General for Justice and Consumers and for the European Commission Research Executive Agency.

Teaching responsibilities

My present role means that I currently do no regular teaching, and I am now not in a position to take on new doctoral student supervision. I do have considerable experience as a lecturer, an Independent Studies supervisor, a programme leader, and a curriculum developer, as well as experience in the successful supervision of doctoral students. I have supervised over twenty students to successful completion, either as Director of Studies or Second Supervisor.

Additional interests and activities

I am passionately committed to the place of the United Kingdom in Europe including to working for an ultimate return of the UK to membership of the European Union.