The Gorton and Denton by-election has transcended the typical local skirmish to become a high-stakes referendum on the soul of British politics. As voters prepare to head to the polls on 26 February, the constituency has transformed into a laboratory where three distinct political eras are colliding: the entrenched localism of the Greens, the transatlantic…… Continue reading The Gorton and Denton By-Election: A Laboratory of Post-Labour Politics
Category: Analysis
Beyond the Neighborhood: 5 Surprising Truths About Islamophobia in Modern Britain
In the wake of the 2024 Southport riots and a 2025 political climate defined by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s warnings of social fragmentation, a convenient but lazy narrative has taken hold: the idea that multiculturalism has “failed” because of where we live. Political leaders routinely point to segregated neighborhoods and “parallel lives” as the engine…… Continue reading Beyond the Neighborhood: 5 Surprising Truths About Islamophobia in Modern Britain
The Granite Mask
Biological Stasis and the Eternal Recurrence of Domination in the Anthropocene On the impossibility of transcendence and the 21st-century perfection of the extractive machine Introduction: The Unchanged Animal The human genome contains a secret that twenty-first-century optimism refuses to acknowledge: we are, biologically, the same creature that emerged from the East African savannah approximately 300,000…… Continue reading The Granite Mask
The Iran I’ve Always Wanted to Visit – and the One That Exists Today
Iran has fascinated me for as long as I can remember thinking about civilisation and culture. It is one of the cradles of civilisation, the home of ancient Babylonians and Persians who fought the Romans and Greeks and created the basis of modern-day civilisations. Their culture, science, art, philosophy, and literature remain as rich and…… Continue reading The Iran I’ve Always Wanted to Visit – and the One That Exists Today
Five Reasons People Distrust the Government
(Hint: It’s Not Just About Money) Introduction: The Widening Chasm of Trust It’s a feeling that’s hard to escape: political trust is at an all-time low and society feels more fragmented than ever. We often assume that when people lose faith in their government, it’s because their wallets are lighter and the economy is struggling.…… Continue reading Five Reasons People Distrust the Government
Call for Chapters
Dear Colleague I’m reaching out to let you know about an exciting opportunity to contribute to The Routledge International Handbook on Social Exclusion and Radicalisation, edited by myself, Dr. Lianne Vostermans, and Dr. Richard McNeil-Willson. This groundbreaking handbook will examine the relationship between social exclusion and radicalisation on a global scale, using multidisciplinary perspectives. It…… Continue reading Call for Chapters
Fragmented Societies and the Dangers of Exclusive Nationalism
The rise in popularity of majoritarian nationalism, populism, authoritarianism, and nativist jingoism in national politics has occurred recently not only in South America (with Argentina) but also in Europe (with recent examples in Italy and the Netherlands). These concerns add to the ongoing debate over how to address issues of pluralism, diversity, and inclusion, despite…… Continue reading Fragmented Societies and the Dangers of Exclusive Nationalism
The Vicissitudes of Dutch Electoral Politics
The results of yesterday’s snap parliamentary elections in the Netherlands have sent shockwaves across Europe. With 37 seats in the 150-seat chamber, the far-right, anti-immigration Party for Freedom (PVV), run by the controversial Geert Wilders, has emerged as the dominant force. This outcome raises the alarming prospect of an extremist party dictating policy in one…… Continue reading The Vicissitudes of Dutch Electoral Politics
Countering Exclusion, Countering Radicalisation
There has been a pronounced rise of anti-Muslim sentiment across Europe in recent years, with roots dating back to the 1990s that were sharply accelerated after the events of 9/11. This pervasive Islamophobia stems from lingering post-colonial Orientalist attitudes that fundamentally view Muslims as problematic outsiders threatening European identity. Anti-Muslim perspectives are deeply ingrained in…… Continue reading Countering Exclusion, Countering Radicalisation
Defining Radicalisation Studies
Radicalisation studies has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that aims to develop a nuanced, holistic understanding of the multidimensional process of radicalisation in contemporary societies. This field integrates theoretical and methodological insights from various disciplines, including sociology, psychology, political science, international relations, cultural anthropology, religious studies, and security studies (Neumann, 2013; Sedgwick, 2010; Heath-Kelly et…… Continue reading Defining Radicalisation Studies