Merryl Wyn Davies facts for kids

Merryl Wyn Davies (born June 23, 1948 – died February 1, 2021) was a smart Welsh writer and expert on Islam. She was also a broadcaster and wrote many books and articles with Ziauddin Sardar. Merryl Wyn Davies was a leader in studying Islam from a human perspective, and she directed the Muslim Institute in London.

About Merryl Wyn Davies

Merryl Wyn Davies was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, on June 23, 1949. She went to Cyfarthfa Grammar School. After studying anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures) at University College, London, she started a career in broadcasting and journalism.

She worked for local Welsh newspapers and BBC Radio. Later, she spent ten years with BBC TV's religious programs. She helped create popular shows like 'Everyman', 'Heart of the Matter', 'Global Report', and the series Encounters with Islam.

Her Journey to Islam

In 1981, at age 31, Merryl Wyn Davies became a Muslim. In 1985, she left the BBC to write on her own. She also worked for Inquiry, a Muslim magazine in London.

During the 1990s, she advised and wrote speeches for Anwar Ibrahim. He was a former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. She also produced the ‘Faces of Islam’ series for TV3 Malaysia. When Anwar Ibrahim was arrested, Merryl Wyn Davies moved to Singapore for a time. She came back to the UK in 1996. There, she became the Media Officer for the Muslim Council of Britain. In 2009, she became the Director of the Muslim Institute in London.

Her Ideas and Writings

Merryl Wyn Davies created new ways to study Islam and human societies. She also looked closely at America through its Hollywood films. In her book, Knowing One Another: Shaping an Islamic Anthropology, she explored a new way of understanding people. She called it "ilm ul umran," which means understanding human societies in a complete way. This approach involved talking about different cultures and civilizations.

Understanding America

With Ziauddin Sardar, Merryl Wyn Davies wrote three books about the United States. In these books, she looked at what she called "laws of American mythology." These ideas included: "Fear is important," "Escaping is a main reason for being," and "America is an idea of a nation." She also believed that "cinema is the engine of empire." Davies argued that these ideas are key to understanding how the United States thinks and acts.

Her Passing

Merryl Wyn Davies passed away on February 1, 2021. She was 71 years old.

Books by Merryl Wyn Davies

• Introducing Anthropology, Icon Books, Cambridge, 2002
• Darwin and fundamentalism (2000)
• Beyond Frontiers: Islam and Contemporary Needs, Mansell, London, 1989
• Knowing one another: Shaping an Islamic anthropology (1988)

Books with Ziauddin Sardar

• Will America Change? Icon Books, Cambridge, 2008
• American Dream, Global Nightmare, Icon Books, Cambridge, 2004
• The No Nonsense Guide to Islam, Verso, London, 2004
• Why Do People Hate America?, Icon Books, London, 2003
• Barbaric Others: A Manifesto on Western Racism, Pluto Press, London, 1993 (also with Ashis Nandy)
• Distorted Imagination: Lessons from the Rushdie Affair, Grey Seal/Berita Publishing, London/Kuala Lumpur, 1990
• Faces of Islam: Conversations on Contemporary Issues, Berita Books, Kuala Lumpur, 1989