Talking about Islam: Social media and popular discourse

Recently, I got involved in a heated argument about Islam and the Muslim world on Facebook, that quickly turned vicious and ended up lasting for several hours. To say I “got involved” would be a little dishonest – I did start it, one way or another, and I shouldn’t be surprised at the response. Since … Continue reading →

Missing – Of intellectual frameworks, worldviews, and emotional support structures

By Ôrūp I. We have already seen blow-by-blow accounts, analyses, conjectures, speculations, and conspiracy theories around the Dhaka attacks. We know the beginning and end, the drama that surrounded it, the actions and inactions, the could-have-beens and the should-have-beens. We are standing in front of the rubble of incongruous and disparate information. In our collective … Continue reading →

The Post-Crisis Rumor Mill

During an unprecedented attack like the one at Holey Artisan Bakery, crisis management is of utmost priority. Looking back, security forces did well to set up cordons to keep at bay meddlesome reporters. The subsequent media blackout, though late, was a good call and could feature in a standard operating procedure. In comparison with regional incidents, … Continue reading →