Zahra Khan critcially analyzes the new legal development in India in the form of Uniform Civil Code. The proposed code, she argues, would deprive the minorities of India from their fundamental religious right and would help transform India to a Hindu Rashtra.
Review | Religion and Politics in Contemporary Russia by Tobias Kollner
The publication "Religion and Politics in Contemporary Russia, Beyond the Binary of Power and Authority" explores the interrelation between Russian Orthodoxy and politics in contemporary Russia, based on extensive primary research conducted at the local level. It illustrates the existence of close personal connections between elected officials operating at all three tiers of government and their corresponding counterparts in the Russian Orthodox Church, who are frequently sought for advice on political matters. It highlights the alignment of conservative ideologies among politicians and religious leaders and underscores the persistent occurrence of conflicts despite their unwavering cooperation. This work provides comprehensive coverage of various themes, including the restructuring of religious education, the escalating emphasis on conventional moral principles, the repatriation of past ecclesiastical property, and the creation of new ceremonial occasions.
Review | Politics, Landlords, and Islam in Pakistan by Nicolas Martin
The book "Politics, Landlords, and Islam in Pakistan'' published by Routledge is written by Nicolas Martin. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the University College London, UK. Nicolas Martin did his BA and Ph.D. in social anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He wrote academic articles on agrarian change and the evolving nature of patron-client ties and debt bondage.
The High Stakes Game: Our Planetary System and Economic Model
In the complex web of human existence, two fundamental aspects seem to be locked in a seemingly never-ending conflict: our planetary system and our economic model. While the planetary system represents the delicate balance of ecosystems and finite resources that sustain life on Earth, the economic model is primarily driven by growth, consumption, and profit.
Dry and Dangerous: Pakistan’s Water Scarcity as a National Security Risk
Malaika Sarwar states that in modern times the security of individuals takes precedence over the traditional concept of state security. Water Security is one of the major national security challenges facing Pakistan at the moment that needs to addressed on emergency basis.
Review | Islam and Sectarian Violence in Pakistan by Eamon Murphy
The book provides a brief overview of the specific role of sectarian terrorism within Muslims in Pakistan. These different sects in Islam emerged after the death of the Prophet (SAW). The basic theme of this book is to explain in terms of various examples that how sectarian differences among Muslims in Pakistan have led to injuring and killing of thousands of citizens whose only crime has been to belong to a member of a rival sect. The Karachi terrorist attack is one such example of sectarian violence where the Sunni extremists attacked the minority Shia sect in Pakistan. The sectarian violence in Pakistan is not purely Sunni versus Shia phenomena. The first sectarian violence which took place in Pakistan in 1953 was on the small Ahmadiyya sect by both Sunni and Shia. The sectarian violence in Pakistan has become complicated after intra-Sunni violence between Deobandi and Barelvi grew.
When AI Goes Rogue: Exploring the Existential Risks of Artificial Intelligence
Malaika Sarwar argues that mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war
Digital Crossroads: The Dark Side of Social Media in Pakistan and Beyond
Despite being the connection tool and a partner in accessing greater awareness and large chunks of information at once, social media has its darker side that is far beyond the consciousness of people. It was created for the betterment and advancement, and a lot has been achieved but the inventors were naïve of the flip side of the coin that uses one's psychology against self. These platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are manipulating human behaviors and exploiting personal data which has major repercussions for the masses that have been accepted even by the developers of these platforms themselves. Social media contributes to declining the overall mental health of individuals leaving them clueless about the actual causes. The race of likes, and followers, along with the beauty standard set, has increased the cases of depression and anxiety among people. People now try to meet these standards which are not true and the filtration has caused people’s lives. Moreover, teenagers are affected by interaction with random strangers and their opinions which may or may not be based on facts.
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