Nèdeem Elmahjoub's blog

 Food inequality under covid-19 and the community restaurant

"The logic of cultural reductionism goes as follows:  Muslim  women are  uniquely  oppressed women.   Their oppression is caused by their society’s uniquely anti-women culture, i.e.  Muslim  culture. This culture is the polar opposite of Western civilization, which, obviously,  allowed  Western women to progress and advance to the point of parity with men. Western women’s oppression (if it exists), is either negligible or is caused by a few, degenerated uncivilized  sub men individuals. In other words, it is not systemic, but interpersonal and racial; resulting from the animalistic predatory Black men and genetically degenerated poor whites. In order to prevent these interpersonal transgressions from these degenerated/uncivilized  sub men individuals, there should be a more robust patriarchal involvement in the national community to protect Western/white women." The Feminist Movement in Saudi Arabia

Qatar: Migrant Workers Strike Over Working Conditions

If you have a kindle, here is a free e-book that looks interesting: The Strangers Among Us: Tales from a Global Migrant Worker Movement

The Arab world needs to admit it's racist

"The Arab uprisings were followed by a great deal of bitter violence, repression, counter-revolution, and cynical regional and international great power manipulation. On the other hand, these uprisings showed that ‘presidents-for-life’ and parts of regimes could be overthrown or substantially threatened by ‘people power’ – a fundamental innovation on the post-colonial stage in the MENA region. They have exposed the bankruptcy and violence of command and control structures that rely solely on violence and coercion. They have drawn attention to the importance of trans-local, transregional and transnational forms of politics. They have also underlined the importance in the MENA region of the question of radically democratic, de-centralized, and leaderful organizing — its possibilities and limits." — John Chalcraft The Middle East: an interview with J. Chalcraft

“The connection between the human condition and labour is frequently forgotten, and for me was always so important. At 16, I went down a coal mine in Derbyshire and spent a day on the coal face – just watching the miners. It had a profound effect.” What did it make you feel? “Respect,” he says quietly. “Just respect. There are two kinds. Respect to do with ceremony – what happens when you visit the House of Lords. And a completely different respect associated with danger.” He says: “This is not a prescription for others, but when I look back on my life I think it’s very significant I never went to a university. I refused to go. Lots of people were pushing me and I said, ‘No. I don’t want to’, because those years at university form a whole way of thinking.” And you feel free from that? “Yes.” John Berger: 'If I'm s storyteller, it's because I listen'