[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating about Islam and reflects a wide variety of opinions and approaches. It does not reflect the views of the Critical Currents in Islam page or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to cci@jadaliyya.com by Saturday night of every week.]
March 6 - 12
Revised executive order bans travelers from six Muslim-majority countries from getting new visas: On Monday, President Trump released his new travel ban weeks after his initial travel ban was met with protests and then frozen by courts. The new ban blocks people from six countries from the initial travel ban, but does not include Iraq.
Donald Trump Has Already Picked His Favorite Muslims: President Trump and his administration have been very outspoken about Muslim majority countries, yet don’t seem to have issue with Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. Coincidentally these countries are home to some of Trump’s families businesses.
Nike Pro Hijab gives important validation to Muslim women athletes: This week, Nike released the “Nike Pro Hijab,” a light-breathable head covering that will allow Muslim athletes to participate in many sporting activities easier than before.
NYPD arrives at new settlement in Muslim surveillance case: The New York City Police Department has agreed to revised terms of a settlement over their surveillance of Muslims. The new terms include a civilian representative that will “serve as a check against unwarranted targeted surveillance.”
The Travel Ban: An Assault on Islam?: The New York Times has collated “Letters to the Editor” discussing and debating whether Trump’s travel ban is an all out assault on Islam.
Vermont Elects Nation’s First Muslim Party Chair, Sends ‘Strong Message to Trump’: Faisal Gill has been elected as the Vermont Democratic Party Chair, which is seen as a “clear rebuke” of Donald Trump and his administration.
Global Migration Meets Magic in Mohsin Hamid’s Timely Novel: Mohsin Hamid’s new novel, Exit West addresses the psychological effects of war and migration. In this focus piece, Alexandra Alter discusses Hamid’s own life experiences.
Gaza`s women of steel: Unemployment rates in Gaza are high. Gazan women have stepped up to the task by taking jobs traditionally performed by men, thus acting as the family’s breadwinner.
India is a top source and destination for world’s migrants: One-in-twenty international migrants worldwide were born in India; many are located in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and the United States.
Death in al Ghayil: Residents in the Yemeni village attacked by U.S. forces during a “highly successful,” presidentially approved raid recount the horror, chaos, and loss that they experienced.
Stranded Syrian doctor loses hope of returning to Brown University: Dr. Khaled Almilaji has been stranded in Turkey since January, when he went to check in on a humanitarian project. Dr. Almilaji has been barred from returning to his wife and graduate program since Trump’s executive order.
Travel ban 2.0 is still wrong, irrational and illegal: Trump’s travel ban 2.0 faces the same unconstitutional problems and criticisms as the original order, with only slight changes aimed at assuaging the courts.
What Islam could teach Donald Trump about democracy and freedom: David Decosimo combats the “clash of values” narrative, and instead shows how Islam and Muslims, past and present, share concerns for good governance, freedom, and justice with their American counterparts.
Burma victims deserve justice: Rohingya Muslims are fleeing Burmese state-sanctioned violence. Human Rights Watch has called for an independent UN investigation into violence against the Rohingya.
Israel bill to limit Muslim call to prayer passes parliamentary first reading: An Israeli bill that attempts to ban the call to prayer from 11:00 pm to 7:00 AM, affecting the first of five daily prayers, has passed the initial stages of becoming law.
MESA Joins Lawsuit Against Travel Ban: The Middle East Studies Association in North America has recently joined a lawsuit against Trump’s Travel Ban alongside organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Law Center.
White Evangelicals Believe They Face More Discrimination Than Muslims: White, evangelical Protestants are more likely to see themselves as victims of religious discrimination when compared to other Christian and non-Christian groups.
Muslim Americans Are United by Trump- and Divided by Race: In America, Black Muslims not only experience anti-blackness from white nationalists, but from within the diversity of Muslim communities as well.
Pakistan City’s Affluent Women Bring Islam Into Their Lives and Lifestyles: Affluent women in Pakistan engage elements of the Islamic tradition through classes and events catered to their lifestyles and interests.
March 13 - 19
At the nation`s only Latino mosque, Trump`s immigration policies have `changed everything`: In Houston, Texas members of a Latino Mosque talk about how Trump’s policies have affected them and their loved ones.
With Coming Election, the Netherlands Considers a New Relationship to Muslims: Dutch elections have Muslims in the Netherlands worried as a far-right, Islamophobic party increases in popularity.
Dutch Muslims reflect on Geert Wilders before vote: Muslims from various backgrounds discuss the pressure of living in a country that constantly discusses Islam and immigration in the media, pushing many to feel unwelcome in their home country.
When the Netherlands Had a Muslim-Majority Empire: Dutch politicians campaigning on anti-globalization and anti-immigration rhetoric often ignore the roots of their racism in the history of Dutch empire as well as its majority Muslim composition.
Anti-Muslim And Anti-EU Nationalist Geert Wilders Just Got Crushed In The Dutch Elections: Dutch voters came out in droves supporting moderate, liberal parties against known Islamophobe Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom.
He Didn’t Like the Show. Now He’s Advising It: Ramzi Kassem, law professor at City University of New York, first criticized the show “Homeland” for being racists and now he is advising it.
Ban on Head Scarves at Work Is Legal, E.U. Court Rules: The European Union’s highest court has ruled that private companies can legally ban headscarves in the workplace. Critics claim that this unfairly targets Muslim women and excludes them from work.
E.U. ruling against workplace hijab draws religious freedom criticism: Critics of the new European Union court ruling allowing companies to ban the headscarf has received backlash by religious freedom activists, saying that it violates freedom of expression.
Me, Myself and My Hijab: Shaista Aziz writes about what it means to be unapologetically British and Muslim without contradiction.
After playing all season, Maryland girl held out of basketball game for wearing a hijab: Je’Nan Hayes was not allowed to play in her team’s regional final after a head official informed her coach that Hayes would need documentation allowing her to wear her hijab on the courts.
A Children’s Museum ‘Surprise Blockbuster’: A Show on Islam: The exhibit “America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far” at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan gives attendees a glance into some history and culture of Muslim societies.
Spain`s Moriscos: a 400 year old Muslim tragedy is a story for today: Matthew Carr discusses the contemporary relevance of his new book, Blood and Faith, about the experiences of Moriscos, or forced converts to Catholicism in the early modern Iberian Peninsula.
Salafi Movement Grows on Indonesia’s Batam Island: Radio and other forms of media give “Salafism” a new voice in Indonesia as Salafi-linked institutions emerge, balancing a commitment to legal protection for religious minorities as well as their own vision for society.
China`s Communist Party hardens rhetoric on Islam: Communist Party officials warn of “religious extremism” threatening “traditional Chinese identity.” China’s Muslim Uighur population has been under increased surveillance.
Young Muslims want to participate in politics – but prejudice and Islamophobia may be stopping them: Reporters spoke to thirty-five young Scottish Muslims about how they engage with political debates in a world that is convinced they are a threat or simply uninterested in politics.
Trump Designating the Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorists Would Be a Massive Victory for Extremists: Trump’s administration is reportedly considering designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, which many policy analysts believe will backfire and cause more problems in countries where the Muslim Brotherhood exists.
Federal judge in Hawaii freezes President Trump’s new entry ban: Judge Derrick K. Watson, a federal judge in Hawaii, issued a freeze on President Trump’s new entry ban that would ban people from six Muslim-majority countries. He cited Trump’s own words, stating that Trump and his administration are using this ban to discriminate against Muslims.
Islam for Journalists (And Everyone Else): Most American journalists have no idea how to properly discuss Islam in their writing, but a new e-book funded by Social Science Research Council and the Carnegie Corporation of New York is full of tips and tricks on how to write about Islam while being respectful and ethical.
MESA Membership Passes Bylaw Amendment Removing `Non-Political` Clause and Affirming 501(c)3 Status: The members of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) have voted to approve a new amendment that removes the term "non-political" from its description and retains its 501(c)3 status.