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Laina Farhat-Holzman

Europe is Having an Important Burka Debate

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Wed, 02/24/2010 - 22:11

Dr. Laina Farhat_Holzman

 

Europe, with a seemingly large immigrant Muslim population – and not a well integrated one at that – is having open discussion on what to do about women wearing total face-obscuring garments. It is one thing to wear a headscarf, which bothers secularists, but another thing altogether to have women wearing the Arab niqab or Afghan burka. Why should this be such an issue?

 

What brought you here?: 
Europe, with a seemingly large immigrant Muslim population - and not a well integrated one at that - is having open discussion on what to do about women wearing total face-obscuring garments. How can we know the scope of the problem?

Does Bad Childrearing Produce Terrorists?

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Thu, 02/11/2010 - 02:27

Dr. Laina Farhat_Holzman

 

There is a long tradition on blaming mothers for creating criminal children. We hear about neglect, abuse, and ignorance – and, of course, bearing children out of wedlock. However, childrearing since the 20th century has improved markedly in the Western world and continues to occupy an important place in the minds of most parents.

 

What brought you here?: 
"There will be peace between the Palestinians and Israelis when they love their children more than they hate us."

Some Iranians are Looking Back at Bad Choices

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Wed, 02/03/2010 - 01:20

Dr. Laina Farhat_Holzman

 

I was at my college graduation at UCLA when the Iranian Revolution was heating up. The Shah of Iran was the guest speaker, and his talk offered a rosy view of Iran’s future. As he spoke, a plane flew overhead with a banner: “Death to the Shah.” I was shocked – and really amazed at what seemed to me both rude and ungrateful. Most of the Iranian students studying here were the beneficiaries of either government scholarships or family money courtesy of Iran’s rapid development.

 

What brought you here?: 
Back then, it was "death to the Shah." Today, it's "death to the dictators." Who will prevail?

In the Middle East, Conspiracy Theories Trump Eyewitnesses

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 22:37

Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman

 

Pakistan has been beset by suicide bombing attacks almost constantly for months now. Terrorists viciously attack schools, funerals, weddings, mosques, market places, as well as military and police barracks. Their aim is to do as much damage as they can to Pakistanis, particularly to women and children in marketplaces, and they take credit for these acts.

 

What brought you here?: 
Pakistan has been beset by suicide bombing attacks almost constantly for months now. You would think that the Pakistani public would be outraged, would recognize that they have a vicious internal enemy, and would want them crushed. Sadly, that's not the case.

America Isn’t Immune to Homegrown Terrorism

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Wed, 12/23/2009 - 22:38

Homegrown JihadHomegrown Jihad

 

Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman

 

What brought you here?: 
The terrorist next door has become a big concern.

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Fri, 12/11/2009 - 05:07

The Terrorist Next Door?

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 11:22
Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman We haven’t had another al Qaeda attack since 9/11, but not because they haven’t tried. Fortunately, we and the Europeans have apprehended wannabe terrorists with regularity. The FBI is better than we give it credit for – and the wannabes stupider than they think they are. However, there are some new wrinkles that should make us all uneasy.

Not All Cultures Are Equal

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Sat, 09/12/2009 - 15:18
Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman I remember my first encounter with anthropology in college when we were taught that cultures are neither bad nor good – but are reasonable to their members. I have since learned that this extremely generous concept was intended to counteract the Western bias of 19th century anthropology, being as it was, part of European colonialism. In Europe and Canada, some have even supported immigrants selecting their own law codes under special circumstances.

Sometimes History Can Poison a Society

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 09:14
Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman As an historian, I have argued that it is essential for people to understand their history (and that of their friends and enemies); without this knowledge, we are inclined to misjudge people and their actions. Those who ignore history, it is said, are condemned to repeat it. However, even this noble discipline has a dark underbelly. When people relive certain events with great passion and little introspection, they trap themselves into unending cycles of violence.

How a Culture Sees History Matters

Submitted by Dr. Laina Farha... on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 19:38
Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman How a culture looks upon its own history, as well as world history, can tell us much about their values. United States. Our founding fathers recognized that participatory governance was a radical idea – and that the elites in Europe watched and worried. Monarchs and the aristocracy had good reason to worry when shortly after the United States won its freedom from Britain, the French Revolution erupted.
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