The Centre for Secular Space: Why Now?

The Centre for Secular Space has just  published its first book: Double Bind: The Muslim Right, the Anglo-American Left, and Universal Human Rights.  It can be ordered from lulu.com. We launched Double Bind at a very successful event in London on Feb. 11 and the New York launch will be Friday, March 1, 7-9 at the New School, 66 W. 11th Street, 5th floor, with a panel including ANN SNITOW, ANISSA HELIE, AFIYA ZIA & MEREDITH TAX.  To register, write admin [at] centreforsecularspace.org.

We have founded the Centre for Secular Space to address critical gaps in understanding of the relationship between terrorism, fundamentalism and peace and security, using a feminist analysis. We believe that strategic discussions of peace and security must expand to include secularism and universality, since one of the greatest sources of conflict in today’s world is the mobilization of religion and culture for political gain.

Secularism is key to strengthening civil society and building democracy, because gender, religious minority, and sexual rights become issues whenever human rights are limited by religion, culture, or political expediency. The Centre for Secular Space will expose threats by fundamentalist groups and take note when human rights and other organizations fail to uphold their own standards on gender and discrimination.

Quotes from supporters

It seems crystal clear that cultural "fundamentalist" revivals are centrally about the loss of patriarchal power, privilege and identity and that turning back the clock on gender relations is at the heart of their programmatic obsessions.  I am very excited to see where you're headed with this, as it brings together a number of threads to knit together a much needed theoretical and practical coherence to a rights-driven approach to global events.

Dan Connell, Journalist, founder of Grassroots International, senior lecturer in journalism and African Studies at Simmons College

It is a relief to sense that there are people out there willing to recognise the need for looking at all aspects of how human rights are or are not addressing terrorism, fundamentalisms and women's rights.

Ariane Brunet, former coordinator of Women's Rights Program at Rights and Democracy, Montreal; cofounder of Urgent Action Fund

Only one person sees a vision. Only a few people recognise the value of the vision and buy into it. It is the responsibility of those few to convince others. Now this is our task.

Dorothy Aken'Ova, director, International Center for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights, Niger State, Nigeria

It seems crystal clear that cultural "fundamentalist" revivals are centrally about the loss of patriarchal power, privilege and identity and that turning back the clock on gender relations is at the heart of their programmatic obsessions.  I am very excited to see where you're headed with this, as it brings together a number of threads to knit together a much needed theoretical and practical coherence to a rights-driven approach to global events.

Dan Connell, Journalist, founder of Grassroots International, senior lecturer in journalism and African Studies at Simmons College

It is a relief to sense that there are people out there willing to recognise the need for looking at all aspects of how human rights are or are not addressing terrorism, fundamentalisms and women's rights.

Ariane Brunet, former coordinator of Women's Rights Program at Rights and Democracy, Montreal; cofounder of Urgent Action Fund

Only one person sees a vision. Only a few people recognise the value of the vision and buy into it. It is the responsibility of those few to convince others. Now this is our task.

Dorothy Aken'Ova, director, International Center for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights, Niger State, Nigeria

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