Student Islamic societies must tackle hate speech The Federation of Student Islamic Societies uses ‘freedom of speech’ rhetoric that would make JS Mill turn in his grave Carly McKenzie guardian.co.uk In the UK, there exists parliamentary legislation intended to protect minorities from incitement to racial hatred. Yet on campuses across the country, hate speakers are straddling the line between that which is legal and that which is not. The wave of hate speakers that has hit UK campuses this academic year has proven the current legal provisions to be at best, insufficient and at worst, wholly impotent. Occasionally, extreme abusers … Continue reading FOSIS – time to reform and then into what?

Fighting philosophy’s gender imbalance I run a festival with more male than female speakers – but this is not borne out of prejudice and ambivalence, as Bidisha suggests Hilary Lawson guardian.co.uk I run a festival that includes more male than female speakers. There, I’ve said it. At this year’s HowTheLightGetsIn philosophy and music festival, the first of its kind, women feature throughout the programme but men are dominant in the philosophy discussions. According to Bidisha, this makes me and my team part of an increasingly woeful league of event organisers committing “cultural femicide”. We are no casual discriminators. We go … Continue reading Why women are no good at philosophy!

Rupert Murdoch takes New York The Wall Street Journal’s metro edition is bad news for the New York Times. But what does Rupert Murdoch really want? Dan Kennedy guardian.co.uk Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal commenced a New York edition today that will directly compete with The New York Times. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Put your ideological preferences aside. And never mind that the New York Times’s coverage of its home city is almost certain to remain stronger than that of the Wall Street Journal’s just-unveiled New York section. The reality is that Rupert Murdoch seems destined to come out ahead in … Continue reading Death of a Free Press in the United States

Muslim voters come of age In this election, the Muslim vote will transcend religious and ethnic affinities – and traditional support for Labour Anas Altikriti guardian.co.uk Whatever the outcome of the election on May 7th, as HA Hellyer recently wrote on Cif, Muslims around the country are likely to play a significant role in influencing the outcome of dozens of seats. The second largest faith community, which constitutes no more than 4% of the total population, has come of age and become quite astute in dealing with the elections according to interests, priorities and concerns, many of which are shared … Continue reading British Muslim voters come of age?

By Victor Kotsev “I want to work with Netanyahu,” proclaimed Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, quoted by the Jerusalem Post. “Try me,” he said, noting his hopes that the Arab League would back his plan to resume proximity talks on May 1. “I say on behalf of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, that we are prepared for an agreement.” He emphasized that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “chosen by the Israeli people and elected by the Knesset [parliament],” and because of that it was his “duty to work with him”. This spectacular change of tone on the … Continue reading Netanyahu plays a complex and dangerous game with everyone…

view: Religious and scientific truths —Ishtiaq Ahmed What we are confronting in Pakistan and the Muslim world in general is a clash between scientific knowledge and religious quackery. The Christian West has had its share of scientists who were ostracised, banished or even executed for challenging the Creation theory An Iranian cleric, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, has proclaimed a fatwa (ruling) that earthquakes are caused by women dressing immodestly. Why the earth should feel so excited and out of control by such provocation instead of men such as the high-level Shia cleric is a question that comes to mind rather immediately. … Continue reading Muslim world – a clash between scientific knowledge and religious quackery?