If Denmark is any indication, the conflict between secularism and multiculturalism in Europe is not likely to be settled any time soon. The government of this Nordic country is planning a ban on full-face veils. Denmark’s Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen attempted to justify the ban by declaring: “It is incompatible with the values in […]
Tag: secularism
‘The Creeping Iron In The Soul’ : Babri Masjid in 2018
“It is not madness; not lunacy. It is the creeping iron in the soul.” In December 1992, India was shaken awake by the news of 150,000 Hindu nationalists ruthlessly tearing down a mosque built in the 16th Century- Babri Masjid (Babri Mosque)- in order to build a temple on the disputed land. Secular segments of […]
France’s Burkini War: Conflating Islam and Terrorism
On July 28, the French Riviera town of Cannes implemented a new law that would quickly become a trend: they banned the wearing of the “burkini”, a full-body covering swimsuit that allows conservative Muslim women to cover up while at the beach. A number of coastal French towns soon followed suit, leading to incidents such […]
Religion and Politics: The Limitations of Secularism and Liberal Discourse in the Non-West
This past weekend, Europa Laica (Secular Europe), a non-profit organization committed to the promotion of secularism, the secular state, and the separation of church and State in Europe, launched its first conference after 15 years of initiation. The conference took place in Madrid, same city where the organization’s headquarters are located, and it culminated with […]
After Every Winter Comes Spring: Tunisia’s Democratic Flowering
On December 17th, 2010, a 26 year-old vegetable-seller named Mohamed Bouazizi had his unlicensed cart and products confiscated by a policewoman in the Tunisian city of Sidi Bouzid. Not only did the police officer demand a large fine from Bouazizi, but she also insulted his dead father and slapped him. Aggrieved, Bouazizi headed to the […]
The Murder of Avijit Roy
On February 26, Bangladeshi-American blogger Avijit Roy was murdered in the street by religious extremists in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Roy was an avid advocate for secularism and spoke out constantly against religious extremism. Because of his blog posts and books, he was repeatedly threatened online, including by his suspected assailant, and told that he would be […]