Category: Guest Article

Is Hindutva here to stay?

Posted on 29 September 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

The destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992 marked a seminal event in India’s post-independence history, setting the stage for the rise of the Hindutva-aligned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to national prominence. At the time, then chief-minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi cemented a national image defined by two narratives; first as a staunch Hindutva leader who allowed one of the deadliest incidents of anti-Muslim violence in post-independence India, and second as a pro-business reformer. Both catalyzed his rise to Prime Minister in 2014. Modi’s premiership and the BJP’s dominance of national politics has ensured both are able to implement their vision of transforming India into a Hindutva state.

Lockdown has led to an epidemic of online abuse – it’s time for institutions to tackle this

Posted on 28 September 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

With bedrooms and kitchens turning into offices over the past six months as Britain and other countries around the world introduce measures to stem virus transmission, we’ve seen a magnitude of unforeseen consequences. Across the country, incidents of domestic violence have rocketed and mental health problems have seen widespread deterioration. A vital and yet tragically overlooked consequence has been the ripple effect playing out on our online spaces, leading to an epidemic of online abuse, especially for women and non-binary people. Now that a new report has exposed that almost half of UK women and non-binary people have experienced online abuse since the lockdown, it’s time institutions deal with this growing problem.

Migrations and Polarization in Latin America

Posted on 27 September 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

At this very moment, almost 80 million men, women and children are on the move, violently dislocated from their homes and livelihoods. There are more refugees and internally displaced people in the world than at any point since the Second World War. And the challenges are set to worsen. Hundreds of millions more will soon be forced to move as a result of droughts, floods, rising seas and other climatic shifts.

Thousands of Conspiracy Theorists marched in Berlin. The city wasn’t prepared.

Posted on 26 September 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

Karolin Schwarz, Journalist and author Karolin Schwarz is a journalist, author, fact-checker and trainer, focusing on the far right, political disinformation and the intersection of the internet and society. Her book “Hasskrieger: Der neue globale Rechtsextremismus” (Hate Warriors: the new global right-wing extremism) was published in February 2020. She gives lectures and trainings on disinformation…
Read more »

The Future of Countering Violent Extremism

Posted on 25 September 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

The concept of “countering violent extremism” (CVE) – which involves the use of non-kinetic tools to undermine recruitment and mobilization to terrorism and focusing attention on the drivers and not just the manifestations of the violence – was not new when then President Obama convened the White House CVE Summit five years ago. However, the unprecedented high-level gathering of governments, civil society, and the private sector elevated the issue as a priority in many capitals around the globe.

Guest Article: The Economic, Social and Political Crisis in Lebanon and its Impact on Violent Extremist Rhetoric

Posted on 26 August 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

Above: The explosion at the Port of Beirut on 4 August 2020 killed more than 200 and injured at least 7,000. 26 August 2020 Nidal Khaled, Coordinator and Focal Point for Majdal Anjar Local Prevention Network, Lebanon. President of Youth Initiatives Association On 4 August, a powerful explosion ripped through Beirut’s port, killing at least…
Read more »

Practice Spotlight: Advice from Groundswell Project – How to Support Communities During COVID-19

Posted on 9 June 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article, Practice Spotlight

Above: The Groundswell Project was founded in 2018 as a way to bring communities together. Hadiya Masieh, Founder of Groundswell Project Hadiya Masieh is an expert consultant in the area of community cohesion, interfaith relations, counter extremism, and women’s involvement in extremism and radicalisation. Her experience spans over 22 years. She has been a counter…
Read more »

Amoral Communities: How Ethnic Identity Prevailed in Croatia’s War

Posted on 3 March 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

Above: A Yugoslav army convoy moves along a road decorated with the Croatian flag some 25 kilometres from Zagreb in 1991. Photo: EPA/ROBERT RAJTIC. This interview was originally published on The Balkans Insight by Sven Milekic, where it is also available in Shqip, Macedonian and Bos/Hrv/Srp. A newly-published book by Croatian-born Mila Dragojevic, an associate professor…
Read more »

Reducing Violence is Not Impossible, and Cities Are Proving This

Posted on 13 February 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

Today, 83% of deadly violence occurs outside of conflict zones, with the majority of this violence concentrated in cities. Nation states have dominated the global political arena for centuries, but with more than half of the world’s population today residing in cities, it may be time to rethink who should be at the table when it comes to decisions on how we can reduce violence.

Look to cities, not nation-states, to solve our biggest challenges

Posted on 23 January 2020 by Strong Cities Network - Guest Article

Robert Muggah is a specialist in cities, security, migration and new technologies. In this article, originally published on the World Economic Forum website, he argues that cities are taking an increasingly vocal and visible role in stepping up to some of the biggest challenges our world faces today where nation states are floundering.