When the “enemy” is different, an outsider, it’s easier to draw quick conclusions, to develop stereotypes. It’s simply human nature: There is “us,” and there is “them.” But what happens when the enemy looks like us — from the same tradition and belief system? That is the conundrum in the case of Norway and Anders…
29 July Much of this week’s news in Norway and Sweden has dealt with the Islamophobic discourse inspiring Anders Behring Breivik’s acts of terror and manifesto. The manifesto published online by Breivik just hours before the detonation in Oslo and the massacre at Utøya borrows extensively from, amongst others, the UNA bomber Theodore Kaczynski, and…
November 12, 2010 Norwegian media reports about plans to open three private Muslim schools in Oslo. All three schools will have a stronger focus on Islam, and on Arabic or Turkish rather than German or French as optional third languages to learn. Other to that they will follow national curricula. One of the schools, Fredsskolen…
A planned Muslim free school in Oslo meets with protests amongst Muslims. Tina Shagufta Kornmo from LIM (Equality, Integration and Multitude) says a Muslim free school will increase religious as well as ethnic segregation. Others believe a Muslim school will strengthen students’ Muslim identity and self confidence.
The faculty of Theology at Oslo University have applied for funding to create an Imam education program. Four years ago Oslo University delivered the same suggestion, and the Norwegian government was positive to such suggestions. Even so, the university did not follow through with their application. Islamic Council and Norway’s Muslim Student Organization are encouraging…
