Extremist Islam and Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq
Recent conflicts have highlighted how religion and identity are central to security issues. The question remains as to what extent individual conflict zones are facets of a wider, transnational war which pits the ‘West’ against al Qaeda?
Religion, Sacred Values and Conflict
Examining the role of sacred values in war may offer greater opportunities for breakthroughs into peace in seemingly intractable conflicts than hitherto realised.
Turkey’s New Constitution & Secular Democracy: A Case for Liberty
Turkey needs a pluralist and democratic-secular constitution with strong divisions of power and checks and balances. It should have specific & strong protections to secure accountability, an independent and neutral judiciary and freedom of belief and expression for all.
Radical Islamist Activity in Central Asia is Going Nowhere Soon
Current events suggest that the trajectory of religious extremism in Central Asia is likely to persist. Policies of repression and the exclusion of Islamic groups from legitimate governmental procedures will continue to cause them to seek out different ways to express their grievances.
Sam Harris’ Liberal Masquerade
Harris’ politics represent radical authoritarianism and nativism masquerading as progressive liberalism, glossed by a veneer of academic respectability.
The Russian Orthodox Church and the Putin Regime: Still Bedfellows?
The Church leadership is proving to be a dividing force in Russia that antagonizes a relatively small but active and politically significant minority.
Localizing Islam in Europe: Religious Activism among Turkish Islamic Communities
It may be premature to talk about a distinct European Islam. Yet, the diverse activism among Turkish Islamic organizations indicates that Islam is incrementally but surely localizing in Europe.
Review – God’s Century
God’s Century is not the first book to make a case for the importance of religion in global affairs. Yet, Toft, Philpott, and Shah’s book is a valuable addition to the literature.
Boko Haram and the Threat to the Secular Nigerian State
Boko Haram has morphed from a local radical Muslim group to one that is more broadly Nigeria-focused. Its goals cannot be reconciled with the existence of the secular Nigerian state.
Religion and Human Rights: A Dialectical Relationship
The real challenge is one of how to get global faith in a dignified and well-protected existence for everyone, rooted in all hearts and minds. This tends to entail periods of sharp confrontation with the powers that be, as the recent Arab Spring has markedly illustrated.
