The Myth That Cracked For decades, the Netherlands wore its reputation for tolerance like a badge of honour. Amsterdam’s canals, the country’s liberal social policies, and its historical embrace of multiculturalism created an image of a nation that had solved the puzzle of living together across difference. Yet scratch beneath this polished surface, and a…… Continue reading When Tolerance Fractures: How Everyday Exclusion Fuels Political Violence in the Netherlands
Tag: Radicalisation
The Architecture of Silence: Power, History, and the Unspeakable
On why the Israel-Palestine debate is not really about Israel-Palestine There is a room. In it sit Jews and Muslims who want to do the right thing. The desire matters; it may be everything. But the room is not sealed. Outside it, machinery operates that determines which voices survive the door, and the machinery is…… Continue reading The Architecture of Silence: Power, History, and the Unspeakable
Nothing in the Middle: Makerfield and the Unravelling of Britain
There is a road south-west of Wigan where the old order is quietly dying. On 18 June, the towns of the Makerfield constituency — Ashton-in-Makerfield, Bryn, Hindley, and Abram — will choose a new MP, and what looks on paper like a routine by-election is really a referendum on whether Britain still has a recognisable…… Continue reading Nothing in the Middle: Makerfield and the Unravelling of Britain
Why London Manufactures Its Own Extremists
Why the typical urban radical isn’t who you think — and why it matters When we picture a modern extremist, our mental image is often shaped by a familiar story. The “left-behind” white working-class voter from a deindustrialised town. The forgotten resident of a former mill city. Someone whose anger about immigration and identity has…… Continue reading Why London Manufactures Its Own Extremists
Square Zero: Anxiety, Geopolitics, and the Weight of Constant Crisis
I am in one of those really weird moments when one suddenly thinks it’s all going to go really bad, but actually, how much worse can it get? A bit of good political news I’ve heard today is that Hungary is about to elect a centre-right prime minister, shifting the current landscape dominated by Viktor…… Continue reading Square Zero: Anxiety, Geopolitics, and the Weight of Constant Crisis
The Gorton and Denton By-Election: A Laboratory of Post-Labour Politics
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
The Recent UK Riots: A Disturbing Analysis
The recent riots in the UK have revealed a disturbing undercurrent in British society that demands our attention. What I find most concerning about these events is not just the violence itself but the broader implications and the failure of many to address the root causes. Media and political experts are noticeably silent on identifying…… Continue reading The Recent UK Riots: A Disturbing Analysis
Southport Aflame: Misinformation Fuels Riots
The tragic events that unfolded in Southport over the past 24 hours have laid bare deep societal tensions and exposed the dangerous consequences of misinformation, xenophobia, and mob mentality. What began as a horrific knife attack that claimed the lives of three young children quickly spiralled into violent unrest fueled by unfounded rumours and far-right…… Continue reading Southport Aflame: Misinformation Fuels Riots
Dissent at Risk: UK’s New Extremism Definition
The UK government’s new definition of extremism, unveiled with the noble intention of combating intolerance and hate, has raised serious concerns among civil liberties advocates, activists, and members of targeted communities who fear it could have severe unintended consequences for free speech and democratic dissent. The definition’s vague and broad nature risks encompassing a wide…… Continue reading Dissent at Risk: UK’s New Extremism Definition
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