Extremist groups are drawing in women by presenting a warped vision of female empowerment and gender roles. Considerations of radicalisation have, for many years, focused solely on men and the factors that drive them to join extremist groups. Yet, as the gender gap in radicalisation gradually narrows, it’s time to ask one very important question: …
7/7 survivor and JAN Trust CEO, Sajda Mughal OBE, has been featured in The Guardian as part of their Outspoken series to mark the newspaper’s 200th birthday. Read more here or below. After the tube she was commuting on was blown up, Mughal’s life changed for ever. A Muslim herself, she was horrified to …
Language used, both by those working or featured in the media and individuals, has a huge but often unseen effect on our unconscious biases. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, (but words can never hurt me)” is traditionally used to brush off insults but, whilst there is of course some benefit to boosting emotional …
Issued by 7/7 Survivor Sajda Mughal OBE Sixteen years ago, on that fateful day in July, I narrowly escaped death. If I had not been running late and had got on at my usual carriage, I would not have been so lucky. As we remember those whose lives were violently taken from them, I …
It is incumbent on minorities to remain civil and calm when pushing back against discrimination rather than on the offensive party to face up to any upset or their own ignorance. As movements for equality have gained traction — be it on the grounds of gender, race, religion, or some other personal characteristic — individuals …
Recently, there has been an increase in reported cases of members of the armed forces or police being found to have engaged in racism or extremism. Historically, the security forces — in this piece, referring collectively to the military and police — have had a complicated relationship with minority communities. Whilst this is a general …
The Capitol riots in the U.S. on 6 January 2021 led to outcries from many well-intentioned citizens from both parties to label the white supremacist extremists that stormed the U.S. Capitol as terrorists. Joe Biden, the President-Elect at the time, echoed these claims dubbing the rioters “domestic terrorists”. Indeed, White people are often not held …
Why freedom of expression has never been an unlimited right to be offensive. The phrase “political correctness gone mad” has become synonymous with “I’m no longer allowed to say what I want”, and is commonly used with some sort of reference to freedom of expression being violated. Applied to a variety of personal characteristics — …
How trusting or sceptical should we be of Facebook’s Oversight Board and its decisions? In response to years of criticisms of its algorithms and decisions on what content should be allowed, Facebook established its own Oversight Board, as a sort of independent appeals body that would review past controversial decisions and publish fully transparent decisions. …
To truly work towards racial equality, we have to take proactive measures to address entrenched racial stereotypes and injustices. The term ‘anti-racism’ has gained traction and is commonly used in discussions on how we should combat racial inequality in 2021. But what does this actually mean? As movements have shifted focus from language and specific …
