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

Edward Said’s Orientalism and Its Insights on Radicalisation Discourses

On 25 September 2023, it will be the twentieth anniversary of the passing of the great scholar Edward Said, a Palestinian-Christian-American literary theorist who dedicated his scholarly endeavours to examining the phenomenon of marginalisation and the portrayal of the “other” in various contexts. In his seminal work published in 1978, entitled Orientalism, the author critically…… Continue reading Edward Said’s Orientalism and Its Insights on Radicalisation Discourses

Sweden’s Quran Burnings: Echoes of Societal Crisis

Amidst a backdrop of sanctioned Quran burnings within Sweden, driven by the nation’s freedom of expression laws, a sequence of events has been set in motion. These events carry far-reaching implications that extend beyond the confines of this Nordic land. As the government responds by elevating the terror threat level, a paradox emerges. The legislation designed to protect personal freedoms now reveals its unintended consequence: a potential compromise to the very security it aims to uphold.