The conversion to Islam is a joyous and touching moment for both the new Muslim and their already-Muslim brethren. Entering the faith is an easy ritual that only requires the proclamation that “there is no god but Allah and that Mohammed is His servant and messenger” in the presence of a group of the faithful. The process of integration within the Muslim community is often much more demanding.

How Muslims view themselves and how Western media portrays them are miles apart. Muslims see themselves as believers in a peaceful and universal faith that aims to bring mercy to all, while western media is most likely to present them as backward, intolerant, extremist, and at odds with western values. Even western Muslims who happily straddle both worlds can find themselves being caricatured in tabloids and chastised by conservative and liberal media.

In the UK, 25 % of people suffer from a mental illness at some point during their lives, and within ethnic minorities the prevalence of psychiatric disorders is higher.
Although members of the South Asian community visit their GP more than comparison White groups, they are less likely to have their psychological difficulties identified. As a result, they under-use mental health services, and there are serious concerns that where services are accessed they may not adequately meet cultural and religious needs.

In 2003, Netanyahu opined that Israel faces a "demographic threat" if the portion of its Arab citizens rises above the current 20%. Much of the attention given to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict ignores the issues faced by this community.

In this talk, the speaker will shed a light on the conditions of Palestinian citizens of Israel. He will discuss why Israel's definition as a Jewish state, which privileges one ethno-religious group, cannot be seen as compatible with democratic values and that this will undermine any attempts to find a lasting peace.

This new series of programmes will probe urgent contemporary issues in an interview format. It is called HardTalk for a reason: an expert will face direct, searching questions from a seasoned interviewer. Questions and answers together will help frame the issue and open it up for the audience to debate further.

Through HardTalk the Dialogue Society aims to provide a platform for experts and opinion-makers to have their say, provided they are willing to be challenged by the interviewer and by the audience.

Authors Alex Strick van Lischoten and Felix Kuehn of the upcoming book An Enemy We Created: The Myth of the Taliban/Al Qaeda Merger in Afghanistan, 1970-2010 will talk about the book, followed by a discussion and drinks.

Chaired by Anatol Lieven.

Comments from reviewers of the book:

9/11 was a key turning point in for the relationship between Pakistan and the US. Having proved itself in the war against the Soviets, Pakistan led at the time by dictator turned President, Pervez Musharraf, joined the "War on Terror" as a key U.S. ally. As part of the relationship, it provided the U.S. a number of military airports and bases for its attack on Afghanistan. In return for its support, Pakistan had sanctions lifted and has received about $10 billion in U.S. aid. 

Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian Nobel Prize winning human rights lawyer, will be making a very rare appearance at Asia House on the evening of 26 January. She will be talking about her book, The Golden Cage. 

The Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi’s novel, The Golden Cage, is the story of three brothers whom the author knew through their sister, Pari, a childhood friend. Each brother subscribes to a different political ideology that tears Iran and their lives apart. As Pari observes, her brothers live deluded lives in golden cages of ideology.

Professor Soroush will discuss the role of philosophy – and Popper's thought in particular – in Iranian religious and political reform.

Middle East Centre Arab Uprisings Lecture Series

This talk will look at how resistance to regimes' appropriation of public space has been a central theme of the Arab uprisings.

Charles Tripp is a professor of politics with reference to the Middle East at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Date: Thursday 23 February 2012
Time: 6.30-8pm
Venue: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Speaker: Professor Charles Tripp