Klepto-Queens and Far Right Infighting

Earlier this year, the writer Sohrab Ahmari published a piece on the website of the religious-conservative magazine First Things explicitly attacking the worldview of another member of that tribe, David French. The subject in hand was the future of the American right. Can it be reconciled both to Donald Trump and to God? Ahmari’s piece
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Book Review: “Muslim Modernism – A Case For A Naya [New] Pakistan” by Nadeem Farooq Paracha

I recommend this concise and readable book, “Muslim Modernism – A Case for a Naya (New) Pakistan” by the leading Karachi-based Pakistani journalist, Nadeem Farooq Paracha, for those interested in the field, as it highlights key issues for debate. Paracha’s main points are that the Islam/state relationship was understood by different Pakistani political leaders, roughly
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The Yezidi Genocide, five years on

Saturday 3rd August marked the fifth anniversary of the Yezidi genocide that, according to the estimate of the United Nations, resulted in the murder of 5000 innocent people by ISIS terrorists. Thousands of women were enslaved and 3000 still remain missing. The genocide inflicted on the Yezidis is not the only one in in the
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El Paso’s Attack is White Homegrown Violent Extremism

A 21 year old white male suspect, Patrick Crusius, has been arrested in connection with Saturday’s attack in El Paso, Texas at a shopping center, in which multiple casualties and at least 20 fatalities have taken place. This incident illustrates the steady concern that we all face in the battle against the rising tide of
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Korean Muslims are Quietly Thriving

Itaewon, the district of Seoul most popular with international expats and tourists, feels more like South Boston than South Korea. Enough pizza shops and fast food joints line the main street to rival most American city districts. And just outside, curbside vendors compete with each other to sell their fake Supreme t-shirts, knock-off NBA jerseys,
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Confronting Extremism Together: The Home Secretary’s Speech

The Home Secretary’s speech, Confronting Extremism Together constitutes a welcome broadside against extremism of all varieties. It recognises the multiple contemporary challenges to the fundamental precepts which define not only the United Kingdom, but pluralist liberal democracies generally. It also presents a series of high level principles and broad policy proposals which ought to guide
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What a film can teach us about war with Iran

In 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran Deal, was signed. That same year, the Israeli-Iranian film, Atomic Falafel, directed by Dror Shaul was released. The JCPOA was signed by Iran and the P5 + 1 (China, Russia, US, UK, France + European Union), and stipulated that Iran would limit its
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When mainstream leaders stand up against extremism the community is stronger (Part 1)

The well-known minor reality TV contestant turned rightwing agitator, Katie Hopkins, is following a well-worn path in her quest to become an international celebrity on the Islam-bashing circuit.  In turning to the Jewish community for support, she presumably imagines that fear of Muslims will be her greatest ally. The other indispensable plank of the strategy
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Why a literature festival upset extremists

This is a cross post from The Groundswell Project. Follow them at @GroundswellPro3 One huge threat to extremists’ existence is the coming together of people who promote unity and challenge hate. I know this because I was an ex member of Hizbut Tahrir (HuT, the liberation party) over a decade ago and some of my
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The Problem of a Single Muslim Narrative

The famed Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, delivered an insightful TED talk in 2009: “The Danger of Single Story.” In summary, she articulates the manner in which humans, our stories and lived realities are composed of many layers and overlapping stories which shape both us as individuals and the communities in which we reside. However,
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