Through her responses to a series of wide-ranging questions, Dr. Samah Jabr, Head of the Mental Health Unit within the Palestinian Ministry of Health, gives essential insights into the ways to understand Palestinian mental health before, during, and after catastrophe and genocide. By invoking the principle of “observing and learning” from Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, Dr. Jabr challenges western pathologizing and individualizing around mental health, and offers a community-centered and liberatory alternative framework.
CARE AIRP Workshop: To censor or not to censor: how should we deal with online hate?
Abstract: Violent, extremist, and hateful content has real impacts both in the online and offline world. In this workshop we ask you to put your thinking hats to discuss the best ways to deal with it. Real life examples will be provided, and you will be asked to look at each scenario from a different perspective to understand the complexity of dealing with content that might or might not be illegal but can be damaging in various ways.
Tue, 22nd Aug – 7 PM | Facebook PREMIERE
CARE In Conversation with Anjum Rahman & Prof. Mohan Dutta
Abstract: Aotearoa New Zealand is a colonised land, and this informs our understanding of our history and contemporary times. Islamophobia is also the product of global colonisation while Muslims have historically also been colonisers in other countries. This lively conversation will cover complex and challenging issues to provide a better understanding of the drivers of Islamophobia internationally and locally.
Wed, 23rd Aug – 12 PM | Mezzanine Floor, Central Library
CARE AIRP- Public Talk: Islamophobia after the Christchurch Terrorist Attacks: has the State done enough?
There were 44 recommendations in the Royal Commission report on the Christchurch mosques attacks. This Public Talk explores government actions to date, with a critical review of what has been achieved, where the gaps are, and what are the implications for other communities currently being targeted. Will the government response protect us from further terrorist attacks? And if not, what more needs to be done?
Thurs, 24th Aug – 12 PM | BSCB1.08 COMMS Lab
CARE AIRP White Paper Launch – Online warfare: who, why and how
Abstract: Targeting small and vulnerable populations is an age-old technique for creating fear used by political and state actors, as well as those seeking to profit from outrage and insecurity. This CARE White Paper will focus on the failure of the government of Aotearoa New Zealand to respond to other states, extremist groups and influencers targeting minorities. Our national security system is aware of the way groups are strategically targeted, and also understand the impact. Yet there appears to be no coordinated and effective strategy to protect those targeted. Solutions are presented, with a call on the government and all political parties to act urgently.
Anjum Rahman is the founder of the Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono. She is a chartered accountant with over 25 years’ experience, working with a range of entities in the commercial, farming and not-for-profit sectors.
She also commits to various volunteer roles in the community. She was a founding member of the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand, an organisation formed in 1990 to bring Muslim women together and represent their concerns, and is currently the media spokesperson. She has also been a founding member and trustee of Shama, Ethnic Women’s Trust, which supports ethnic minority women through its social work service, life-skills classes and community development. She has worked in the area of sexual violence prevention both as a volunteer and as part of Government working groups. Anjum is a Trustee of Trust Waikato, a major funder in the Waikato Region.
Anjum has been an active member of the Waikato Interfaith Council for over a decade, a trustee of the Trust that governs Hamilton’s community access broadcaster, Free FM. She is a member of international committees dealing with violent extremist content online, being the co-chair of the Christchurch Call Advisory Network and a member of the Independent Advisory Committee of the Global Internet Forum for Countering Terrorism. She is also a member of the Charities and Not for Profit Commitee of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand.
In this final video of the series on The Hate Effects of Jai Shree Ram, Professor Mohan Dutta discusses the Ayodhya Temple as the backdrop for the broader mobilisation for Hindutva across India. He argues how Ayodhya serves as an entry point for the ongoing organisation of Hindutva, aimed at attacking Muslim spaces and heritage sites to establish India as a Hindu nation.
Professor Mohan Dutta, Director of CARE, sheds light on how videos circulating on X (Twitter) depicting the celebrations surrounding the inauguration of the Ayodhya Temple become mobilizing anchors for deploying the narrative of Hindu pride. Within this narrative of reclaiming the lost glory of Hinduism, violence is legitimised. Portraying the Hindu majority as victims of Muslim invaders and framing sites of grievance as the politics of grievance, while depicting minorities as perpetrators of crimes, often form the architecture for violence and fascist organising, a key feature of Hindutva.
In the third installment of the series on The Hate Effects of Jai Shree Ram, Professor Dutta discusses how the slogan Jai Shree Ram is incorporated into music and its effects
In the inaugural video of the series titled ‘The Hate Effects of Jai Shree Ram,’ Professor Dutta, Director of CARE, addresses the pervasive violence associated with the slogan “Jai Shree Ram.” He argues that the chanting of this slogan must be understood within its contextual framework, particularly when utilised by Hindutva mobs in large gatherings. Professor Dutta highlights that in such settings, the chanting serves as a precursor to violence, often utilised as a means to perpetrate acts of aggression.
Professor Dutta, Director of CARE, talks about the violence attached to the slogan Jai Shree Ram. https://t.co/9ji1qDF2GU via @YouTube
A talk by Prof. Mohan Dutta on Colonial Divide & Rule
In this insightful lecture, Professor Mohan Dutta critically analyzes the colonial divide and rule strategy, examining its historical implementation and its enduring relevance in contemporary contexts. He elucidates how this strategy has been employed to exert control over colonial subjects and draws connections to present-day scenarios. Professor Dutta illustrates the perpetuation of this divide and rule tactic through strategies aimed at fragmenting Maori communities, separating them from ethnic migrant groups. Moreover, he delves into the transformative process of decolonization, emphasizing its role in fostering connection and unity among diverse communities.
In this insightful video on Waitangi Day, CARE Director Professor Mohan Dutta critically unpacks the concepts underlying messages targeting migrant communities, highlighting how they undermine Te Tiriti. He discusses how racism shapes the messages targeting Maori, emphasizing the parallel with those directed at migrants. Professor Dutta underscores the interconnectedness of these issues, shedding light on the pervasive nature of discriminatory rhetoric and its detrimental effects on both indigenous and migrant communities.
In this brief talk, Professor Mohan Dutta will explore the demolition of Babri Masjid that shapes the movement for the Ayodhya Temple, in the form of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He will trace the role of the Indian diaspora in the architecture of Hindutva violence and the network of populist politics. Activists from the diaspora and challenging hate will respond to the talk.
