Waleed Aly is an Australian lawyer, Muslim, academic and rock musician. In the past, he has been a member of the executive committee of the Islamic Council of Victoria and has also served as the Council's head of public affairs. He is a frequent commentator on Australian Muslim affairs. In 2008, he was selected to participate in the Australia 2020 Summit.

Contents 1 Education 2 Career 3 Media 3.1 Awards 4 Books 5 Music 6 Selected writing 6.1 From The Monthly 6.2 From The Australian 6.3 From The Age 6.4 Other 7 Notes 8 External links

[edit] Education

Aly completed the International Baccalaureate at Wesley College, Melbourne (Glen Waverley Campus) in 1996, where he was a Music Prefect and Alexander Wawn scholar before he studied engineering and law at the University of Melbourne. Aly did his IB extended essay on the topic of 'Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody'. He is currently a candidate for the qualification of Doctor of Philosophy at the School of Political & Social Inquiry in the Arts Faculty at Monash University.^[1]

[edit] Career

Waleed is currently a lecturer at the Global Terrorism Research Centre at Monash University.

He worked as a solicitor in Melbourne for Maddocks Lawyers until 2007.

Waleed Aly's social and political commentary appears regularly in newspapers such as The Guardian, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. His first book 'People like us: How Arrogance is Dividing Islam and the West' (Picador, 2007), was shortlisted for the Best Newcomer in the Australian Book Industry Awards and the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards in 2008.

[edit] Media

As a spokesman for the Islamic Council of Victoria, Waleed is regularly interviewed on current affairs and news programs, and writes commentary for both The Australian and Fairfax newspapers.

He is a co-host of The Conversation Hour with Jon Faine on 774 ABC Melbourne and was a regular panel member and producer on Salaam Cafe, a weekly program presented by young members of Melbourne's Muslim community on community TV station Channel 31, and later on national broadcaster SBS.

Waleed is regularly invited to address audiences of academics, businesses and community leaders, as well as senior Australian politicians.

[edit] Awards

He was commended in the 2005 Walkley Awards in the category of Commentary, Analysis, Opinion and Critique^[2]. Also in 2005 he was made White Ribbon Day ambassador for the United Nations' International day for the elimination of violence against women, and was named one of the Bulletin magazine's 'Smart 100' in 2007. He was also an invited participant to the prime minister's 2020 summit in 2008.

[edit] Books

His first book, People Like Us, was published in 2007^[3].

[edit] Music

Aly is the guitarist, and a key songwriter, in Melbourne rock, funk and jazz band Robot Child.^[4] Aly has also recently in 2009 participated in the hit production 'Pink Floyds: The Wall' at Wesley College, Glen Waverly. Aly performed the part of lead guitarist in the band. All money made from the performances are going to habitat for humanity, to build a school in Afghanistan for young girls.

[edit] Selected writing

[edit] From The Monthly

• Patriot Acts: Learning from America
• Comment: Racism, Australian style

[edit] From The Australian

• Islam maligned in veiled moderation

[edit] From The Age

• Subtle scholar, but what an inept politician September 18, 2006 on reaction to the Pope's comments
• The poisonous political cycle that harms us all on terrorism and the war in Iraq
• War has lured bigots out into the open
• A Muslim house divided on the London bombings

[edit] Other

• What would Muhammad have made of all this?

[edit] Notes

1. ^ "60 second with... Waleed Aly". Monash University. http://www.monash.edu.au/news/monashmemo/stories/20080618/60-seconds.html. Retrieved 2009-03-09. 
2. ^ Walkley Award finalists, The Sydney Morning Herald, October 12, 2005
3. ^ Renaissance man, The Age, September 1, 2007
4. ^ "Robot Child on MySpace Music". MySpace. http://www.myspace.com/robotchildband. Retrieved 2009-03-09. 

[edit] External links

• Biography - Australian Future Directions Forum
• Waleed Aly interview on Triple J radio program Hack
• Renaissance man - a profile in The Age
• [1] - Muslimvillage Australia: Waleed Aly Media Files
• [2]Review of "People Like Us"
• [3] Review of "People Like Us"