Will COVID-19 lead to increased nationalist exclusionary and defensive attitudes among the religious, or might it be the cure that leads to radical social reorientation with a new emphasis on collective solidarity? Around the world, religion has come into focus as a central point of controversy and praise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strict social…
In a report on the health of democracy in the post-Soviet world, Freedom House painted a bleak picture of the state of liberal values in parts of Europe. The Washington-based human rights advocacy organization, which publishes a global freedom index every year, highlighted a number of worrying trends in 29 countries in Eastern and Central Europe, the…
Since the attacks on Charlie Hebdo on 7 January, the saying (wrongly attributed to Voltaire), “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” has become a motto against radicalism. Unfortunately, this virtuous defense of freedom of speech is not only inefficient but is backfiring, as…
A recent Pew Study of 2,000 American adults indicates that Americans are increasingly concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism. In the survey, Pew found that 62% of Americans polled were “extremely” concerned about a global rise in Islamic extremism, while 53% are concerned about Islamic extremism within the United States. These are the highest…
Full report (PDF): http://www.pewforum.org/files/2014/01/RestrictionsV-full-report.pdf
