Culture, politics and resistance in Pakistan – Saadia Toor interviewed by Jadaliyya

Saadia Toor, author of The State of Islam: Culture and Cold War Politics in Pakistan, talked to the international current affairs website Jadaliyya about the extension of the Afghan war into Pakistan, the legacy of Cold War politics and the rich but hidden history of popular left-wing movements in the country:

I felt compelled to write this book because of the increasingly disturbing discourse on Pakistan in the West, both within the media and within academia. There is a mixture of incomprehension and hawkishness in this discourse when it comes to Pakistan, which is extremely dangerous given the increasing extension of the US/NATO war in Afghanistan into Pakistan. I believe that the ease with which even anti-war liberals (and sometimes Leftists) support, explicitly or implicitly, the covert war in Pakistan has to do with the fact that Pakistan has been constructed within media and academic circles in the West as a place overrun by extremists, as a place without culture (unless we are talking about raves or fashion shows being organized by the youth belonging to the elite classes) and, crucially, as a place without a history of popular struggle. The fact that it becomes very easy to bomb such a place is being borne out by the intensification of drone attacks under the Obama administration and the tacit or open support for them among liberal hawks both in the West and in Pakistan.

I wanted to subvert this discourse by highlighting the complexity of Pakistan’s history and the primacy of people’s struggles within it, as well as the role of the US-aligned establishment (and, at key junctures, liberals) in quashing these struggles and the alternate political and cultural visions they embodied.

Visit Jadaliyya to read the interview in full.

The State of Islam Culture and Cold War Politics in Pakistan Saadia Toor Studies Pakistan through the lens of the Cold War and the War on Terror and sheds light on the processes behind the rise of militant Islam. “”A deeply informed study of Pakistan’s unfinished journey, marked by the historical suppression of its vibrant Left, Toor’s book is part of the current re-emergence of a foundation for progressive politics in Pakistan. … Read it, argue over it, and be part of the journey to renew Pakistan.” “ – Vijay Prashad, The Darker Nations, and (co-editor), Dispatches from Pakistan “Saadia Toor reveals a country that is nothing like the hotbed of Islamic extremism and military dictatorship we read about constantly. … This book is a powerful antidote to reactionary stereotypes of Pakistan that dominate academic research and popular media.” – David Ludden, Professor of History, New York University, author of India and South Asia: A Short History £17.99 only £16.00 on the Pluto site

Globalisation’s unpeople – Jeremy Seabrook on India’s Muslim Ghettos

At the new academic research website Pod Academy, Jeremy Seabrook discusses his new book, People Without History: India’s Muslim Ghettos, with Caspar Melville, editor of the New Humanist. The website describes the interview:

Jeremy Seabrook describes life in Muslim communities in the slums of Kolkata, and paints a powerful and shocking picture of people who have suffered centuries of expropriation, loss, driven migration and involuntary separations and now find themselves at the wrong end of globalisation.

Visit Pod Academy to listen to the interview.

People Without History India’s Muslim Ghettos Jeremy Seabrook and Imran Ahmed Siddiqui An elegantly written study of Muslims living in the Indian Ghetto of Kolkata, showing that religious radicalisation does not closely follow poverty. “In the poor Muslim bustis of Kolkata, where ‘India Shining’ remains a cruel mirage, and ‘Communism’ equals urban renewal, Seabrook and Siddiqui chronicle dreams betrayed by history. In the most profound sense, this book is a voyage of solidarity that tells truth to the lies of globalization and Islamophobia.” – Mike Davis, author of Planet of Slums £17.99 only £16.00 on the Pluto site

Exposing the intellectuals of empire – Hamid Dabashi interviewed by Jadaliyya

Ayaan Hirsi Ali - one of Dabashi's 'comprador intellectuals'

In an interview with Jadaliyya, the on-line magazine committed to ‘discussing the Arab world on its own terms’, Hamid Dabashi discusses his latest book Brown Skin, White Masks:

You put Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Fouad Ajami, Azar Nafisi, Ibn Warraq, Irshad Manji, Salman Rushdie, et al together on one side and Frantz Fanon, Edward Said, and Theodore Adorno on the other and you can pretty much imagine what “topics, issues and literatures” I address!

The principal topic is the role of comprador intellectuals in the ideological formations of a globalized imperialism — both in its North American and Western European contexts. The main issue is the rise of a group of exilic intellectuals who have no emotive connection to any home or moral principle by which they do what they do.

They are aye-sayers to power, as Edward Said used to categorize them, or borrowing from Malcolm X, “House Muslims,” as I call them. They have immigrated into the bosom of power. They have realized that the fastest way to cut corners and get successful and prominent is to tell the dominant imperial power something or another about their “native” culture that facilities their subjugation. They are native disinformers. They don’t tell their employers what they need to know, but what they want to hear.

Palestine needs a political solution, not aid

Ben White writing for Al-Jazeera:

Part of the Israeli government’s response to critics of its Gaza policy is to deny that there is a “humanitarian crisis” in the coastal territory. The implication being that participants in initiatives such as the flotilla are not concerned with “aid” but seek to cause a political “provocation”. In a similar vein, recent news of the opening of a five star hotel in Gaza prompted Israel lobby group AIPAC to suggest that the flotilla’s real aim was to “delegitimise Israel”.

Read the full article here

Israeli Apartheid A Beginner’s Guide Ben White Indispensable introduction to the Israel/Palestine conflict, examining the current structures of Israeli domination. “A very strong and clear voice that does not shun from exposing in full, and in a most accessible manner, the essence of Zionism and Israeli policies in Palestine. In a world confused by competing narratives, disinformation and fabrication, this book is an excellent guide for understanding the magnitude of the crimes committed against the Palestinians and the nature of their present suffering and oppression.” – Professor Ilan Pappe, University of Exeter, Israeli historian and author of ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine’ (2007) “This book deals rationally and cogently with a topic that almost always generates considerable heat even just with book titles. The reader may not agree with everything that White asserts but it is a highly commendable effort to throw light on a fraught subject.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate £9.99 only £8.50 on the Pluto site

Ending the Famine in Somalia

Afyare Abdi Elmi writing for Al-Jazeera:

Unfortunately, the famine in Somalia has killed tens of thousands of people (mostly children) and it threatens millions more. Facing a problem of this magnitude, this is not the time for a blame game. It is the time for action in order to save as many people as possible from the famine in Somalia.

Read the full article here

Understanding the Somalia Conflagration Identity, Political Islam and Peacebuilding Afyare Abdi Elmi Explains the multiple dimensions of the conflict in Somalia and points the way to a peace-building consensus. “Elmi’s contribution is most effective when it examines the Islamic awakening and historicizing Islam. … [the book] provides useful understanding of an important area.” – CHOICE “A timely, topically urgent and well-written book that adds much to the literature on Somali studies. It should benefit students and researchers in all areas of the social and educational sciences, and it could influence policy development in the Somali context, and by extension, perhaps other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.” – Ali A. Abdi, University of Alberta £17.99 only £16.00 on the Pluto site

Pre-order Penny Red now for only £10 including UK P&P

We’re extremely excited to be publishing Penny Red: Notes from the New Age of Dissent a collection of Laurie Penny’s most essential writings over the last few years. And excitement makes us do crazy things, like run an extremely generous pre-order offer which means you can get the book for a low, low price and read it in the first week of October, before it hits the shops and Amazon. What’s more, 10 lucky pre-orderees will receive copies signed by Laurie in her ‘savage red pen of justice’. The sooner you order, the higher your chances of getting a signed copy so click here to pre-order right away.

The book includes a brilliant foreword by activist and comic book writer Warren Ellis and an exclusive introduction from Laurie: a tribute to the to and rallying cry for the people at the sharp end of a government bent on bleeding the country dry. The book is the perfect companion to our year of protest and dissent, and a great Christmas gift for discerning activists.

Penny Red Notes from the New Age of Dissent Laurie Penny. Foreword by Warren Ellis Selected writings from a prominent voice of the new activist left. Reflections on being young, broke and angry in the twenty-first century. “Cuts, sexism and riots, Laurie Penny’s fresh and angry voice captures the moment and the important issues – highly recommended.” – Polly Toynbee “Penny is reinventing the language of dissent, delivering verbal taser-barbs to the left and right, and causing apoplexy among the old men in cardigans who run the British blogosphere.” – Paul Mason, economics editor of BBC’s Newsnight RRP £12.99Pre-order now for only £10 inc. UK P&P!

Simmering tension in Korea

Tim Beal, author of Crisis in Korea: America, China and the Risk of War writes on the growing tension between North and South Korea, and what it might mean for the rest of the world. 

With the Western media fixated by rioting in England and the on-going global economic crisis, it is not surprising that little attention is paid to events in Korea. However, as with Czechoslovakia in 1938 this ‘far off country of which we know little’ in reality is very important to the rest of the world. The Korean peninsula is where the US, Japan, China, and Russia meet and a war between the two Koreas would inevitably involve the United States (because it controls the South Korean military) and that would almost certainly bring in China. A military clash between the US and China would have unpredictable, but surely profound, consequences for the world.

Saving the soul of our universities – Pluto’s manifesto for resistance out now!

John Pilger: "This book calls us to arms"

Clare Soloman: "This manifesto will play a huge role in providing alternatives"

Neal Lawson: "This book explains what's happening to higher education and what we can do about it"

Paul Gilroy: "Essential reading for anybody seeking to understand the crisis in British education and the forces that produced it"

Nearly a year on from the great student protests and occupations of 2010, we are proud to release The Assault on Universities: A Manifesto for Resistance, edited by Michael Bailey and Des Freedman.

With contributions from academics and students who are directly involved in the movement, The Assault on Universities is a contribution to the struggle for the soul of our higher education system. As well as offering an incisive critique of government policy, the book looks at what kind of university we should be fighting for, and considers strategies to take the campaign forward in the new academic year.

The book is also the launch-pad the ‘Manifesto for Higher Education’ which puts forward concrete alternative proposals to the governments agenda. Already over 500 people have added their names including: John McDonnell MP, John Pilger, Professor Richard Sennett, Neal Lawson (chair of Compass), Professor Ernesto Laclau, Nick Davies (journalist who exposed phone-hacking at the News of the World), Professor Nancy Fraser and China Mieville (award winning author). To view the demands of the Manifesto and to add your name visit the campaign website.

On the riots

By Jonathan Maunder

The on-going violence across the UK is doubtless unpleasant and scary for those caught up in it. But much of the commentary in the media (for example this morning’s Today programme) seems to inhabit a fantasy world in which large numbers of young people have just gone wild, propelled by some kind of sudden bout of thuggishness.

But there is an obvious context for anyone who is really concerned about dealing with these tensions. Firstly, there is widespread hostility in these areas to the police, both over ‘stop and search’ and deaths in police custody – a friend of mine who teaches in east London tells me that all his students, including the ‘studious and sensible’ ones, strongly dislike the police.

‘So good, so consistent…always bracing’ – Jonathan Cook wins prestigious journalism award

Jonathan Cook (left) and Charles Clover (right) with John Pilger at the award ceremony

Jonathan Cook, author of Blood and Religion and Israel and the Clash of Civilisations has been awarded the prestigious Martha Gellhorn Special Award for Journalism, 2011, along with Charles Clover and Umar Cheema.

In presenting the award the veteran journalist and campaigner John Pilger said:

I have been reading Jonathan’s work on the internet for years. On Palestine and Israel, I can think of no more reliable source. His de-coding of propaganda and analysis is so good, so consistent, it is always bracing.

In praising the work of Pakistani journalist Umar Cheema, John also mentioned the recently murdered Pluto author Saleem Shahzad:

Umar Cheema has been harassed and tortured. On Tuesday, the body of another courageous Pakistani journalist Saleem Shahzad was found, murdered. Umar was due to fly to London to be with us today, but the British High Commission in Pakistan refused to expedite his visa within 12 days of his application – knowing that we wanted to honour him. A disgrace.

Visit the Information Clearing House to read the speech in full.

Visit Jonathan’s website to view a complete archive of all his articles.

Israel and the Clash of Civilisations Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the Middle East Jonathan Cook Argues that the current chaos in the Middle East was always the intention of the Bush administration and Israel. “One of the most cogent understandings of the modern Middle East I have read. It is superb, because the author himself is a unique witness who blows away the media debris and presents both a j’accuse of those who would destroy the lives of whole societies in their pursuit of power and myth, and a warning to the rest of us to speak up and act.” – John Pilger, author of Freedom Next Time (2006) and The New Rulers of the World (2003) “A compelling account of the recent wars for Middle East oil, untangling a complex web of interests shared by the neocons, Israel and the Bush White House. Cook’s timely book raises disturbing questions about where Israel and the US hope to push the region next.” – David Hirst, author of The Gun and the Olive Branch (2003) £16.99 only £15.00 on the Pluto site

Blood and Religion The Unmasking of the Jewish and Democratic State Jonathan Cook Former Guardian and Observer journalist explores the real reasons behind the Gaza pullout — arguing demography is the heart of the issue. “Timely and important … by far the most penetrating and comprehensive [book] on the subject to date. … This work should be required reading.” – Nur Masalha, Director of Holy Land Studies, St Mary’s College, University of Surrey, and author of The Politics of Denial (2003) “An original and powerful book.” – Ilan Pappe, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at Haifa University, and author of Out of the Frame (Pluto 2010) £16.99 only £15.00 on the Pluto site

Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taliban Beyond Bin Laden and 9/11 Syed Saleem Shahzad A unique insight into the post-Osama bin Laden generation of Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders from a journalist who interviewed many of them. “This is a disturbing book. … Shahzad considers the strategies of al-Qaeda and other radical Islamist movements in terms that are not often heard.” – The Times “Buy Shahzad’s book. It tells us what the Pakistani government, whose corruption and brutality Shahzad died to expose, does not want us to know.” – Charles Glass £17.99 only £16.00 on the Pluto site