• Tackle terrorism, not conservatism

    Tackle terrorism, not conservatism0

    Many have rushed to blame religious conservatism for a surge in terror attacks, citing Islamist extremism as the root of increased violence. Conflating the issues of terrorism and religious conservatism is not only simplistic, it is also dangerous and short-sighted. It alienates those very same communities who are our best allies in curbing the spreading of home-grown terror. An effective answer to domestic terrorism should focus on socioeconomic issues, not on religious conservatism.

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  • To ‘Europeanize’ Islamic Education

    To ‘Europeanize’ Islamic Education1

    An increasing Muslim population in Europe, presenting new integration challenges such as a heightened risk of radicalization among Muslim youth, has led to policymakers seeking to mitigate such risks and promote integration by establishing programs in Islamic education and developing a ‘Europeanized’ interpretation of Islam. To truly ‘Europeanize’ Islamic education, however, it is first necessary to ‘Europeanize’ and standardize the underlying core components of these programs: the curricula as well as the training of Imams.

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