Women, democracy and dictatorship

The electoral success of Islamic parties in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, has raised worries about policy and legislation on family and gender issues, this despite re-assuring noises from leading figures. Earlier electoral successes of Islamists in Iraq had brought about a disorderly mix of family policies and rule of disparate religious authorities, accompanied by much [...]

Do women make you uncomfortable?

All right, I am new to this blog and new to Britain in general. However, I am not new to writing about Iraq. I wrote my master thesis on the recent amendment to the Iraqi Personal Status Law and before that I was writing about the issue of female genital mutilation in Iraq. The women’s [...]

Living in a topsy-turvy world

It really is a sign of just how skewed our priorities are when a couple of Twitter postings about the Prophet (PBUH) cause more of a stir than the killing of innocent people. Or, as a friend of mine Tweeted “killing an innocent in the name of my religion is 1000 times more offensive than [...]

Institutionalising identities

Many are understandably frustrated with the lack of progress in Iraqi politics over the last few weeks. From principled stands and high rhetoric to endless discussions about the possibility and agenda of a national conference. Some might ask, ‘how can Iraqis accept this from their politicians?’ Well in Iraq there is a massively lacklustre attitude [...]

Visiting Erbil

Over the last year, I’ve followed many different Kurds on twitter. They all have different styles, tweet about different things; some were good, some not so much. But one thing that united many of them was a Kurdistan-first attitude. A few in particular would constantly go on about how great Kurdistan was. So on one [...]

Imam Hussein’s views on oil refining

And then Hussein (AS) said to the usurper Yazeed: “the righteous demand that we turn the riches of this land into higher value export commodities by refining the crude into gasoline, fuels oils and distillates. Your continued insistence on the production of lead based petrol has destroyed the Ummah of my grandfather. Today, we make a stand in [...]

Film Review: Leaving Baghdad

Despite initial mixed feelings, Leaving Baghdad has grown on me. The little details, the raw authenticity and boldness of the director have crafted a veritable gem beneath its rough-edged exterior. The film itself follows a fugitive from the Baath regime as he makes his way through Europe and into exile. He is no ordinary fugitive [...]

The Iron Lady and Architects of the Future

Yesterday the Evelyn Grace Academy, a school in Brixton, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects was awarded the Stirling Prize, which, (according to the BBC at least) is the most prestigious UK award in architecture. It was the second year running that Zaha’s firm had won the prize, awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects, [...]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the brain softer.

I have had a writer’s block that stretches back months, and have not blogged despite the largest upheaval in decades in the Middle East, riots in the UK, and the momentous return of King Kenny to his helm. But I am back now. Unfortunately, since I last wrote, London has lost what I like to think [...]

Muhannad! Will you not think of the children?

On several occasions over the past few weeks I’ve caught myself squatting in corners mumbling incoherently whilst sipping bitter black tea. What’s more, the ends of my moustache seem to be turning upwards and I’ve definitely got hairier. I don’t know how to say this but I think I’m turning into … a Turk. I [...]