All entries by this author

Shafilea Ahmed Feared a Forced Marriage *

Jan 11th, 2008 | Filed by

‘My parents are going to send me to Pakistan and I’ll be married to someone and left there.’… Read the rest



Live Murder Inquiry in Shafilea Ahmed Case *

Jan 11th, 2008 | Filed by

Coroner believes the concept of arranged marriage was central to the circumstances leading up to her death. … Read the rest



Ethnocentric feminism

Jan 11th, 2008 11:38 am | By

I had a hard time tearing myself away from the computer Wednesday and Thursday mornings to catch the bus downtown to the courthouse, because there was a lively (not to say acrimonious) discussion on a Women’s Studies list I subscribe to, about Female Genital Mutilation. I may have done something myself to contribute to the acrimony. Okay I did. I got annoyed. Repeatedly. (But one is limited to two messages a day, so there was a limit to the damage I could do.)

It started with the (astonishing, I thought) fact that the practice was called ‘circumcision’ – which staggered me because I thought it was apologists for the practice who called it that and that opponents all called it … Read the rest



Binyavanga Wainaina on Kenya *

Jan 10th, 2008 | Filed by

The bloody attacks here do not reflect primordial hatreds. They reflect the manipulation of identity for political gain.… Read the rest



Speigel Talks to Wangari Maathai *

Jan 10th, 2008 | Filed by

At some point we will have reached a level at which violence becomes an end in itself and can no longer be stopped.… Read the rest



Whereabouts

Jan 10th, 2008 7:54 am | By

Just in case you’re wondering if I’ve run off to Las Vegas or something, I can explain. Posting is light at the moment because I have jury duty. I’ll catch up at the weekend, if not sooner.… Read the rest



Terry Sanderson on Blasphemy Law *

Jan 9th, 2008 | Filed by

Proposed restrictions on ‘incitement to religious hatred’ and ‘defamation of religion’ show up around the globe.… Read the rest



Amendment to Abolish UK Blasphemy Law *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Signatories include Philip Pullman, Ricky Gervais, Richard Dawkins, Nick Hytner. … Read the rest



Research on Boredom *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Level of attention, an aspect of conscious awareness, plays an important role in boredom.… Read the rest



The US Doesn’t Understand Pakistan *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Pakistan’s national identity is based on not being Hindu – a thin reed on which to hang a unified state.… Read the rest



HNN Interviews Charlie Savage *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

Cheney has wanted to restore the imperial presidency for three decades.… Read the rest



Canadian Islamic Congress v Maclean’s *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

The Canadian Islamic Congress has launched two human rights complaints against Maclean’s. … Read the rest



Tariq Ramadan is Rather Bossy *

Jan 8th, 2008 | Filed by

‘Islamic studies must be taken seriously. Politicians, university administrators, faculty and students must say so.’… Read the rest



More Power for Muslim Women *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Bunglawala says the government wants Muslim women to act as spies.… Read the rest



Funny Way to Apologize *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Vatican calls for ‘perpetual adoration’ of eucharist to atone for sex abuse.… Read the rest



Iranian Artist Threatened With ‘Execution’ *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

She photographed gay men wearing masks of the prophet; her work was removed from the Hague museum.… Read the rest



Doubts About Education in Islamic Seminaries *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

16 of the 25 UK seminaries, producing 80% of graduates, are Deobandi.… Read the rest



British Imams Get Inadequate Training *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Musharraf Hussain gives withering assessment of training in many of Britain’s 26 Islamic seminaries. … Read the rest



H E Baber on the Solidarity of the Oppressed *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

First we needed to combat the oppression of minority males; then there would be time for luxuries like feminism.… Read the rest



Rebecca Goldstein on Falsifiability *

Jan 7th, 2008 | Filed by

Scientists don’t, and shouldn’t, jettison a theory as soon as a disconfirming datum comes in.… Read the rest