After the attacks on “Islamo-leftism” in French University , comes the fight against Islamophobic scholars. On March 4 2021, two professors of the Political Science Institute of Grenoble were targeted by accusations of “Islamophobia” and “fascism” . The professors’ names were anonymously posted at the main entrance of the Institute with the slogans “fascists are…
On February the 14th, Frédérique Vidal, the French Minister for Higher Education made controversial declarations on “Islamo-leftism” – Islamo-gauchisme – and its negative influence on Universities during a TV interview. She even stated that French University (including academics and some students organisations) could deliberately promote it. A few days later, during a debate in the Assemblée Nationale, Vidal…
American and British universities in particular have been rocked by a wave of student-driven contestation focused on the content of curricula, on the predominance of white (and frequently male) authors and faculty, as well as on institutions’ enmenshment in colonial exploitation and racialised hierarchies. Students and activists have begun to voice similar challenges in Germany;…
At the University of Frankfurt, a fierce debate has broken out over a proposed conference on the Islamic headscarf, signalling growing contestation over questions of identity and discrimination. Entitled “The Islamic headscarf – Symbol of dignity or of oppression?”, the conference is scheduled for May 8, 2019. Its principal organiser is Susanne Schröter, an anthropologist…
“Provocative” and “conspicuous” praying A secondary school in the Western German city of Wuppertal has caused a stir by prohibiting its Muslim pupils from “conspicuous praying”. In an internal memo directed at the teaching staff, the administration of the Johannes-Rau-Gymnasium encourages its instructors to prevent “provocative” praying activities. For the administration, this includes the performance…
