The Long View

France: Understanding the Roots of the Anti-separatism Bill

Understanding France’s decades long attacks via law and policy against ‘problem’ communities, notably ‘Blacks’, ‘Arabs’, ‘Muslims’ and the ‘Banlieues’ is a prerequisite for anyone trying to make sense of the current anti-separatism bill. Yasser Louati argues that the only way to challenge French state racism

The Redundance of ‘Race’ as a Protected Characteristic

The prevalence of equalities legislation in various Westernised settings, particularly the US and UK has been used to give credence to the idea that these settings are post-racial, and conversations about structural racism now redundant.  Afroze F. Zaidi argues that this is not only far

Back in sight: Deflating Genocide to Dissolve Bosnia and Herzegovina

As international attention is now slowly turning to the Balkans once more, Demir Mahmutćehajić argues that the ongoing actions of Milorad Dodik and his supporters has brought the country to the brink of dissolution.  A recent view from the British daily The Guardian on Bosnia

To Engage or Not to Engage with the Establishment: That is The Question

The political and social aspirations of Muslims in Westernised settings, whether as minorities or majorities, raises the thorny question of engagement with non-Islamic governments.  Settling the question of whether or not this is possible, and what the alternatives are, is the key question Muslims must

Leading by Example: Some Notes on Contemporary Ulema

With the phenomenon of celebrity scholars proliferating in the social media age, Salina Khan argues that justice oriented leadership of Muslim communities needs to be properly appreciated and respected. About a dozen years ago when I first started listening to Islamic lectures online, I would

The Islamic Sleeping Giant and the Arena of Resistance

João Silva Jordão argues that the problems that Muslims face, real or perceived, are in fact a point of radical departure that bodes well for the future of Islam as a model for future social change and justice. The Islamic Sleeping Giant Muslims are being