The latest essays, broadcasts, reviews, talks, papers and interviews from Kenan Malik's website. Plus upcoming talks and broadcasts http://www.kenanmalik.com Wed, 1 Feb 2012 22:00:00 UT kenan@kenanmalik.com (Kenan Malik) 'In recent decades, faith has, in other words, transformed itself into the religious wing of identity politics. Religion has, ironically, become secularised, driven less by a search for piety and holiness than for identity and belongingness. The rise of identity politics has transformed the meaning not just of religion but of blasphemy too. Blasphemy used to be regarded as a sin against God. These days it is felt as a sin against the individual believer, an offence against the self and one’s identity.' http://www.kenanmalik.com/lectures/beyond_the_sacred.html http://www.kenanmalik.com/lectures/beyond_the_sacred.html Wed, 1 Feb 2012 22:00:00 UT '"A poet’s work. To name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world and stop it from going to sleep." So says the irreverent, satirical poet Baal in The Satanic Verses. What the storm over Salman Rushdie’s non-appearance at the Jaipur Literature Festival reveals is that too few people these days think like Baal.' http://www.kenanmalik.com/essays/pandaemonium_jaipur.html http://www.kenanmalik.com/essays/pandaemonium_jaipur.html Wed, 1 Feb 2012 22:00:00 UT 'Terrorism has come to be presented as self-evident, the use of unconscionable violence to undermine basic freedoms and liberties. But, as the response to the Iranian assassinations reveals, ‘terrorism’ remains a deeply politicized concept. Iran is a terrorist state. Saudi Arabia, despite probably sponsoring more terrorist groups, and despite being equally undemocratic and brutal, is a valued Western ally. The murder of an Iranian citizen is a justified act. Plotting to kill a Saudi official is international terrorism.' http://www.kenanmalik.com/essays/bergens_terrorism.html http://www.kenanmalik.com/essays/bergens_terrorism.html Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:00:00 UT Last October I wrote an essay about the decision of the European Court of Justice to deny a patent to the German neuroscientist Oliver Brüstle who had developed a method for turning human embryonic stem cells into neurons which could then be transplanted into patients with diseases such as Parkinson’s. I was critical of the Court’s decision, and equally so of Greenpeace, the organization that had brought the case before the Court. Greenpeace took umbrage at my criticism and wrote a reply, to which I responded. http://www.kenanmalik.com/debates/greenpeace_embryo.html http://www.kenanmalik.com/debates/greenpeace_embryo.html Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:00:00 UT