Transcript slides

21st-Century Challenges
NB: Generalising about complex situation
Crisis of Authority:
Governments in Muslim countries not
serving needs of people
“Arab Spring” (2010-12), leading to…
Concessions (e.g. Jordan)
Replacement of ruling regimes (e.g. Egypt)
Violent suppression (e.g. Iran)
Civil war (e.g. Libya, Syria)
Generally not sufficiently addressing needs of
common folk
Rise of Extremism:
Islamic organisations providing for those
in need and hence gaining support
Violent extremists taking control by force
(e.g. Islamic State, in Syria and Iraq,
since 2013)
Extremist recruiting techniques:
Exploiting disaffection with Muslim
and western governments
Provoking governments in order to make
them increase security measures,
creating more disaffection
Using of media, which is complicit
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad
cartoons, published 30th
September 2005
30th January 2006 Gunmen raid EU offices
in Gaza demanding apology for cartoons
4th February 2006 Danish Embassy in
Damascus stormed and burned by
protestors
Islamophobia: Fear of what people in the west
believe Islam to be like
Manifesting in various forms
Particularly felt by Muslim immigrant
communities
Impact on non-Muslims (e.g. Balbir Singh
Sodhi, Sikh killed in Phoenix, AZ, on
15th September 2001)
Irshad Manji, (b. 1968)
Born in Uganda, family fled to Vancouver in
1972
Worked in parliament and media
The Trouble with Islam, published 2002
Criticised by extremists, conservatives and
both Muslim and non-Muslim academics,
praised by popular press and other
academics, both Muslim and non-Muslim
Solutions?
Need for more attention to “moderates”
- challenges of diversity and press
interest
Need for intergovernmental dialogue
- challenge of governmental
ambitions
Still leaves issue of widespread poverty
Map Link: Distribution of Muslims in the World Today:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World_Muslim_Population_%
28Pew_Forum%29.svg>
Allahu A‘lam - God is the Most Knowing