Writing on Muslim-Christian Relations, Interreligious Dialogue, & Islamophobia
As the terrorist attacks unfolded in Norway but before their origins were fully known, many assumed that the perpetrator was a Muslim. To everyone’s surprise, the terrorist wasn’t Muslim, but rather a blond, Christian, anti-Muslim extremist, Anders Behring Breivik. Immediately after the attacks, American anti-Muslim activists (like those I mentioned in Wednesday's post) frantically distanced …
Continue reading "The Oslo Opportunity, Part 4: ‘He’s not a Christian!’"
The terror attacks in Norway occurred on foreign soil, but they have a disturbing connection to our own country and those who perpetuate fear of Islam here. To understand the link, we need to look no further than Anders Behring Breivik’s anti-Muslim 1,500 page manifesto, which cites a number of leaders active in the Islamophobia …
Continue reading "The Oslo Opportunity, Part 3: ‘Counter-jihad’ crusaders"
I write often about Islamophobia in America, and while it is a massive and growing problem, it plagues Europe far more. Let’s uncover why. Unlike America, which was founded to embrace diversity, western European states each grew out of a common national identity. Those living within the borders of a country generally shared a similar …
Continue reading "The Oslo Opportunity, Part 2: Fears of an emerging “Eurabia”"
In the weeks since the terrorist attacks in Norway, I’ve read a lot of articles and op-eds attempting to flesh out their implications and identify the tensions that led to them. Though the attacks were truly horrific, they present us with a much-needed opportunity to discuss a topic that is too often ignored in the …
Continue reading "The Oslo Opportunity, Part 1: Talking about Terrorism"
In recent weeks, “sharia” has become the favorite buzzword of many a politician, blogger, and pundit. We heard the word at Peter King’s second round of Muslim radicalization hearings, in remarks made by presidential hopefuls at the recent GOP debate, and in T.V. appearances by blogger/activists who claim to fight “radical Islam.” We also heard …
JORDAN DENARI DUFFNER 