Headlines scream of burgeoning populism around the world, but the shift in politics today could also be described as a…
Is the “native” secular?
social movements
Preaching after the Trayvon Martin verdict
How can religion aid or complicate the ways in which people make sense of the trial of George Zimmerman and…
The anatomy of a public square movement
Sociologist (and longtime TIF contributor) Nilüfer Göle assesses the emerging opposition movement in Turkey at Today's Zaman.
The power of a new political imagination
The Tunisian revolution, as a revolution of ordinary people, inspired the demonstrations in Egypt, leading to Mubarak’s fall. It has…
Egyptian revolution round-up
For the eighteen days that tens of thousands of Egyptians were rallying to push strongman Hosni Mubarak ever closer to…
The science of people power: An interview with Gene Sharp
Gene Sharp is the foremost strategist of nonviolent social change alive today. He holds a doctorate in political theory from…
Religion, elections, and civil society in Egypt
Amid the ongoing upheaval in Egypt, Clifford Bob discusses the U.S. Government perspective on Egypt's future and the possibly---or, rather,…
Parodic politics
Perhaps the upswing in religious individualism in this postmodern, postsecular period doesn’t herald the breakdown of community after all—nor does…
A new generation of Muslim activists
According to a recent story in Time magazine, there is a new type of Muslim activism brewing across the globe.…
The fragility of global solidarity
In my last post, I suggested that the religious communities of the world may have something to contribute to the…