Tags: Multiculturalism
Beware the drip drip of religious exemptions
Posted: Sat, 02 Sep 2017 by Stephen Evans
As a theme park lifts its ban on Sikh ceremonial swords, NSS campaigns director Stephen Evans questions the wisdom behind religious exemptions from generally applicable rules.
The latest submission to religious demands came this week when a popular theme park... Read More »
Newcastle: what's faith got to do with it?
Posted: Thu, 10 Aug 2017 by Yasmin Rehman
A group of mainly Muslim men has been convicted for sexual abuse in another British city. Amid a predictable response, Yasmin Rehman says child protection does not require the involvement of faith groups or 'community leaders'.
Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford,... Read More »
The Casey Review lays bare the failure to integrate Muslim minorities
Posted: Mon, 05 Dec 2016 by Benjamin Jones
Dame Louise Casey offers a damning critique of mass immigration undertaken without serious efforts to integrate new arrivals, but she shies away from properly tackling faith schools, and the problems she identifies may be intractable.
The Casey Review is a... Read More »
Living better together: Muslims and active integration
Posted: Mon, 25 Jul 2016 by Maajid Nawaz
On the theme of living better together, Maajid Nawaz argues that identity policing has further marginalised Muslims and that Britain was wrong to not expect minorities to embrace liberal values.
For years in Britain there has been a pernicious trend to shy... Read More »
Most Britons aren’t religious- but are religious ‘voting blocs’ wielding increasing power in our elections?
Posted: Wed, 06 May 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Religious leaders are wielding disproportionate influence in this election. Benjamin Jones argues that this is likely to get worse, and politicians should resist the urge to treat religious people as blocs.
While the religious are declining as a share of the... Read More »
Secularism in 2050: huge changes in population make a secular UK even more urgent
Posted: Fri, 10 Apr 2015 by Benjamin Jones
As huge demographic changes and the rapid increase in the Muslim population reshape religion in the UK, Benjamin Jones makes the case that secularism is the best guarantee of future freedoms for believers and atheists alike.
By 2050, 1-in-9 Britons will be... Read More »
Britain First – foot soldiers of a ‘Christian Nation’?
Posted: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 by Alastair Lichten
When mainstream politicians endorse the 'Christian Nation' narrative they feed both Muslim and Christian persecution complexes and pander to the far-right, argues Alastair Lichten.
Elements in the current government like to promote the dog whistle message that... Read More »
Tower Hamlets and the Dangers of Communal Politics
Posted: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 by Rumy Hasan
Last week, the accountancy firm PwC, in its audit of Tower Hamlets Council and its Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, catalogued very serious failings. The case sheds light on a troubling phenomenon: communal politics. We are well aware of the divisive, sectarian politics... Read More »
Schools and the failure of multiculturalism and multifaithism
Posted: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 by Rumy Hasan
Rumy Hasan argues, faith based identity politics have contributed to an increasingly divisive school system, which undermines children's right to a broad, critical and tolerant secular education.
The spat between Michael Gove and Theresa May focuses on the... Read More »
'Trojan horses' in Birmingham schools should come as no surprise
Posted: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 by Rumy Hasan
With powerful religious agendas which reach far beyond faith schools and insufficient protections for community schools, Rumy Hasan argues, the so called 'Operation Trojan Horse' should come as no surprise.
The 'Trojan Horse' plot in Birmingham - where some... Read More »
Ethnic mixing is good for communities – so why are we discouraging it in schools?
Posted: Tue, 04 Feb 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Terry Sanderson reflects upon some recent findings on mixed communities and integration, and the implication of those findings for our education system.
A large-scale study published in the journal Sociology has found that when people from ethnic communities... Read More »
The tensions between Muslim identity and Western citizenship
Posted: Wed, 27 Mar 2013 by Rumy Hasan
'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
'I don't much care where--' said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
I wish to make the claim that... Read More »
Interculturalism: The new era of cohesion and diversity
Posted: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 by National Secular Society
Book Review: Interculturalism: The new era of cohesion and diversity (Ted Cantle, Palgrave, £19.99)
Reviewed by Steve Sparrow
Who are you? Ask me to describe myself and I may give you five hundred words. Often though, we're happy to identify people different... Read More »
Leave Citizen Khan alone! Po-faced, humourless Muslim protestors are their own worst enemy
Posted: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The new BBC sitcom Citizen Khan has, apparently, created something of a stir among Muslims. The BBC is reporting having received more than 200 complaints about its portrayal of the "Muslim Community", claiming it is disrespectful of Islam and full of stereotypes.... Read More »
UK Integration Policy: Big Society...Or Faith Society?
Posted: Mon, 25 Jun 2012 by Nahla Mahmoud
by Nahla Mahmoud
I was absolutely outraged reading the integration policy announced by the Government earlier this year because they use faith to make up for past failed integration polices. Instead of promoting common values, the government is busy "defending... Read More »
Muslim and Sikh scout groups represent the worst aspects of multiculturalism
Posted: Fri, 21 Oct 2011 by Terry Sanderson
As Muslim scout troops proliferate throughoutBritain, we now have news of the formation of a Sikh Scout troop forming inSloughin Buckinghamshire.
