Closing the week 16
A weekly round up of writings on the Internet, some relevant for my research, some political, some funny but all of them interesting (Dutch/English).
Monthly Archive: April 2009
Bert Brussen Zuilens dagboek
Netwerk had een interessante reportage over de wijk Zuilen samen met blogger Bert Brussen die een ‘Zuilens dagboek’ bijhoudt. Weliswaar met nauwelijks duiding, maar door de schrijfstijl en de treffende Netwerk-reportage (waarin ook de verloedering van de wijk zelf en de segregatie redelijk tot uiting komen) veel inzichtelijker dan veel andere stukjes over ‘hoe erg het toch allemaal is’.
Support for Ramadan and army chaplain Ali Eddaoudi
Tariq Ramadan and newly appointed army chaplain Ali Eddaoudi have been the topic of controversy due to statements they did (or did not) made in the past. Ramadan has been exonerated by an investigation of the city of Rotterdam and both men receive, besides much criticism, also (online) support by websites dedicated to their cause.
Imagining Women
The Dutch TV program ‘Lekker Slim’ (Pretty Smart) portrays women as beautiful and dumb, sexy and superficial. If we allow TV to portray women as such, do we still have reason to critique women who choose to cover themselves (Muslims or not) exactly because they do not want to be confronted with such stereotypes? Or does the fact that ‘we’ like women with headscarves as long as the rest of their clothes doesn’t leave much for imagination, mean that we also want to reduce these women into objects of sexism and ridicule?
Studying Jihadism – The Jihad Recollections I
Fursan Media has released a new English language Jihadist magazine: Jihad Recollections I. Analyzing such a magazine and Jihadi thought in general, should not only focus on the religious and or political content of the magazine (and the grievances that ‘make’ people resort to Jihadism). They do matter but they should be contextualized by studying the (daily) lives of people producing it and consuming it.
Closing the week 15
A weekly round up of writings on the Internet, some relevant for my research, some political, some funny but all of them interesting (Dutch/English).
Geestelijk verzorgers in het leger: Ali Eddaoudi
Imam in het leger, dat is voor sommigen als een englishman in New York of nog erger. Er is lang over geruziet en lang mee gewacht en men moest natuurlijk ook nog opgeleid worden, maar de kogel is door de kerk (no pun intended) en defensie wil Ali Eddaoudi en Souad Aydin aanstellen als legerimams. Vooral over Eddaoudi is het nodige te doen; deels begrijpelijk misschien, maar deels ook vreemd.
Geenstijl – 'Gelukkig is het geen Nederlander'
Geenstijl.nl mag zich graag opwerpen als recalcitrant en rebels. De wijze waarop politici en overige media hen volgen en hun verbondenheid aan het ministerie van Defensie, maakt dit nogal ongeloofwaardig. Dit bleek ook deze week weer na de dood van soldaat Chadli. Geenstijl verwees naar onsmakelijke uitlatingen op Marokko.nl en pleit voor intrekking van subsidie daarvan. Hun eigen site staat echter bol van onsmakelijke uitlatingen over Chadli; mede gesubsidieerd dus door Defensie en straks ook met omroepgelden.
Tariq Ramadan controversy: Moulding Muslim leaders
Even if Ramadan made all those controversial statements, why wouldn’t he be the right man for a dialogue? In fact it appears now that the frequent attacks on him are more dangerous for his position as a person for dialogue than his statements. In particular because he is not only under attack from Dutch secularists and anti-islamists but also from radical groups who oppose his cooperation with Dutch authorities and his statements about homosexuality and his call for a moratorium on corporate punishment. According to these critics Ramadan sells himself to the Dutch authorities which inevitable means that he will have to adjust (in their view dilute) the Islamic message. Their interpretation seems to be correct due to this controversy.