Professor Tim Niblock set up Exeter University’s Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies. Before that, he worked in Sudan for eight years, and married a Sudanese Coptic Christian. He has lived in Exeter since 1978, and has a unique perspective on Exeter’s Arab and Muslim populations.

He was interviewed by Nazima Khan and Ghee Bowman on 14th January 2013. There are three extracts here  – listen to an extract by clicking on the play button. Read the summary transcript here.

Extract 1

Tim talks about coming to Exeter in 1978, and the Muslim population here then.

Extract 2

Racism against Arabs in Exeter in the  1980s. Tim tells a story of meeting a member of the public who’d written to the Express & Echo after Tim had been interviewed.

Extract 3

As well as Joseph Pitts, there were other folk from Devon in North Africa during the 17th century.