Massimo Pigliucci argues “When assessing the role of Islam in the political dysfunction and violence in Islamic societies, many apologists choose to play down the role of the religion whilst many critics identify Islam as the source of the troubles. In reality, Islam is part of a mix of social ills that is neither blameless nor solely responsible for atrocities carried out in its name.”
Jon kofas argues that in the space of a week we have seen terrorist attacks carried out or inspired by ISIS in Egypt, Lebanon and, possibly, Paris. The range of targets and the effectiveness of the attacks makes the failures of Western anti-terrorism policy in the Middle East clear.
Dr. Nayanika Mookherjee summarises her new book exclusively for Alochonaa readers: “In this ethnography of sexual violence during the 1971 Bangladesh War for Independence, I show how the public celebration of women raped during the war and called ‘birangonas’ by the state – works to homogenize the experiences of these women. I demonstrate that while this celebration of birangonas as heroes keeps them in the public memory, they exist in the public consciousness as what I call a spectral wound. Dominant representations of birangonas as dehumanized victims with dishevelled hair, a vacant look, and rejected by their communities create this wound and flatten the diversity of their experiences.”
Professor Damien Kingsbury who was a member of the Australian election observer mission in Myanmar shares what the observer mission thinks about Myanmar’s election.
Dr. Lee Morgenbesser of Griffith University argues that Myanmar is holding elections, but like the many other authoritarian regimes that do so, it isn’t for democratic reasons and regime change remains highly unlikely
In this strong analysis, Arifuzzaman Tuhin argues that the West must do more to help Bangladesh properly address the rise of extremism within its borders.
Alochonaa (Dialogue) 