[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating about Islam and reflects a wide variety of opinions and approaches. It does not reflect the views of the Critical Currents in Islam page or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to cci@jadaliyya.com by Saturday night of every week.]
December 12 - 18
How Islam can fight patriarchy: A bill in Turkey that would allow “for people who had sexually abused underage girls before Nov. 16 to avoid punishment if the abuser agreed to marry his victim” was introduced and was met with heavy criticism across all of Turkey. Because of this loud criticism, the bill was withdrawn.
Tech employees vow not to help Trump surveil Muslims: More than 200 employees of technology have vowed not to help President-elect Trump and his administration build a database to track people based on religion or ethnicity.
Trial of Jakarta governor Ahok begins as hundreds of Islamic hardliners protest: Jakarta’s Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, started this week and has been met with protests from Islamic hardliners calling for him to be jailed over his comments on the Quran.
Donald Trump’s sharp contrast from Obama and Bush on Islam has serious implications: William McCants, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, expresses concern of the policy implications Trump’s relationship with Islam will have on Muslims in America and abroad.
Study shows the U.S. attracts en elite Muslim and Hindu population: According to a PEW research study, the Hindus and Muslims that immigrate to America are among the most educated immigrants across the world. Hindus coming to America have on average sixteen years of schooling, while Muslims have on average fourteen, which are both well above the American average.
Chinese Muslim website blocked after Xi Jinping letter: A website used by many Chinese Muslims to discuss issues has been blocked by the government after one member posted a “petition asking Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop his "brutal suppression" of activists.”
Why Islam gets second-Ccass status in Germany: Alexander Görlach discusses the difficulties faced by Muslims in achieving the benefits of recognition vis-a-vis the German state.
Was Muslims Like Us a helpful portrayal of Islam in the UK?: Various respondents address the British reality show, Muslims Like Us, in order to discuss its victories and failures as a provocation to discussion in light of rising Islamophobic sensibilities.
The Merkel Burqa Ban: criminalizing Islam in Germany: Angela Merkel’s ban effectively criminalizes the wearing of particular head coverings as an open expressions of piety by Muslim women in Germany.
Revival: The Muslim Response to the Crusades: Aljazeera launches a four-part series on the Crusades as it was viewed by Muslims at the time through focusing on particular cities, individuals, and key events.
Egypt`s Christians in the crosshairs: Egypt’s Coptic Christians have taken to the streets claiming that the Egyptian Government is not adequately protecting its Christian population from violence, like the recent bombing of St. Peter’s Church in Cairo.
Two dangerous lies poised to define Trump presidency: Jonathan Brockopp, professor of history and religion at Penn State, connects two lies - (1) Islam is not a religion, and (2) Climate change is a hoax - as a defining element of Trump’s presidency.
A journey towards humanist secularism: Mohammad Hashas remembers the life of Syrian intellectual Sadiq al-Azm through a review of his work in philosophy, theology, and social thought.
Ashis Nandy: Why Nationalism and Secularism failed together: In an interview, Ashis Nandy discusses the history of partition in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan and critiques nationalism and secularism in light of today’s current events.
AP Stylebook revises ‘Islamist’ use: Under pressure from Muslim American groups to change its policy, AP this week “moved to disassociate the term ‘Islamist’ from its negative connotations with ‘Islamic fighters, militants, extremists, or radicals, who may or may not be Islamists.’”
The key to the conservative split on Russia: Conservatives are divided over how to respond to Trump’s relationship to Putin and Russia; Peter Beinart shows that conservative ideological positions concerning Islam and Muslims are central to defining these positions.