Oxford Events, the new replacement for OxTalks, will launch on 16th March. The two-week OxTalks freeze period starts on Monday 2nd March. During this time, there will be no facility to publish or edit events. The existing OxTalks site will remain available to view during this period. Once Oxford Events launches, you will need a Halo login to submit events. Full details are available on the Staff Gateway.
Counter-extremism measures are an established part of the UK’s counter-terrorism apparatus, with the most significant policy, known as the Prevent Duty, now statutory in public institutions such as nurseries and schools. Counter-extremism policies aim to curb the desires of individuals to become terrorists, primarily through its focus on non-violent ideologies as potential drivers of terrorism. In this talk, I want to explore the idea that whilst counter-extremism measures are designed to limit the possibilities of a terrorist attack, in doing so, they also limit the social and political agency of Muslims. These conditions have created ‘the impossible Muslim’, whose presence in the public sphere is a source of discomfort and tension. I question the possibilities and potential of counter-extremism measures in redefining what a Muslim is and reflect on what it means to exist outside of this proposed model.
