Igor Grossmann, University of Waterloo and Ellen Choi, Ryerson University There is no shortage of divisive social issues today, all competing in an increasingly crowded outrage marketplace for our attention. With algorithms curating increasingly hateful content under the guise of … Continue reading It’s not stress that’s killing us, it’s hate: Maybe mindfulness can help
How social media – aided by bots – amplifies Islamophobia online Saif Shahin, American University In August 2021, a Facebook ad campaign criticizing Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the United States’ first Muslim congresswomen, came under intense scrutiny. Critics charged that the ads linked the congresswomen with terrorism, and some faith leaders condemned the campaign as “Islamophobic” – that is, spreading fear of Islam and hatred against Muslims. This was hardly the first time the pair faced Islamophobic or racist abuse, especially on the internet. As a communications professor who studies the politics of race and identity online, I have seen … Continue reading How social media amplifies hatred against Muslims
To overcome the awe of guilt we seek refuge in religion, which demands our unconditional subservience to its hegemony. For his faith — genuine or not — man remains prepared to take life The Greek word blasphemia means speaking ill or using impious language. The word has two elements: blas, which has no clear meaning, is perhaps rendered as ‘in a spirit of hurtfulness’, while pheme is ‘utterance’. Prior to the hegemony of monotheistic religions, ‘blasphemy’ had a rare existence, though its echo can be heard as far back as 400 BC in one of the orations of Demosthenes. Among … Continue reading Blasphemers — the first victims of neurosis?
By Ramzy Baroud Something sinister is brewing around and below Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem – it has all the hallmarks of a familiar Israeli campaign to strip the mosque of its Muslim-Arab identity. This time around, however, the stakes are much higher. The status of al-Aqsa is unparalleled within the context of Muslim heritage in Palestine. It is also the third holiest Muslim shrine anywhere. Equally as important, it is a symbol of faith, resistance and defiance. Its story of struggle and perseverance goes hand in hand with the modern Palestinian struggle for rights, freedom and identity. In a … Continue reading Israel stokes holy row over mosque and makes Southern Baptists happier!
Mohammed Abbasi 