Category: Interviews

France: The Inability of a Secular State to Protect Secularists

May 16, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Despite living in one of the most secular countries worldwide, ex-Muslim secularists in France still face hate speech, death threats, and an idle government. Waleed Al-Husseini founded the Council of Ex-Muslims of France. He escaped the Palestinian Authority after torture and imprisonment in Palestine, fleeing to Jordan and then France. He is an ex-Muslim and […] Read more

Populism and Brexit with Brendan O’Neill

May 6, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
In Part Three of his interview with Conatus News, Spiked Magazine editor Brendan O’Neill discusses populism in Britain and Brexit. Brian Graham.: Let’s turn to the opposition that you’ve been talking about, this business of elitist and populist. In actual fact, what I’d like to do is vault over the positive sides of populism and […] Read more

Sceptic Amardeo Sarma on Humanism and Rationalism in the West

April 25, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
German sceptic Amardeo Sarma discusses critically analysing entrenched belief systems, including religion and a shockingly fervent homeopathic movement. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Was there a family background in humanism or rationalism for you? Amardeo Sarma: No, because both my parents were moderately religious. In fact, to give you an example, when I grew up, my father […] Read more

Neoliberalism and Government Intervention with Brendan O’Neill

April 19, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
In part two of this interview for Conatus News, Brendan O’Neill speaks to Brian Graham about neoliberalism, Thatcher and government intervention. This is the second interview in a three-part series with Spiked Magazine editor Brendan O’Neill. The first part of the interview can be read here. An audio version is available at the bottom of […] Read more

Liberal Islam and Migrant Integration with Seyran Ateş

April 13, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Seyran Ateş, a lawyer and feminist activist, speaks with Conatus News about law, faith, feminism, and integrating migrants in Western societies. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: To begin, what was your background in faith and feminism? Insofar as I know, you are of Kurdish descent. Seyran Ateş: My mother is Turkish. My father is Kurdish. He died in 2014. […] Read more

Marxism, Brexit and Spiked Magazine with Brendan O’Neill

April 11, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
Brendan O’Neill, editor of Spiked Magaizne, speaks to Brian Graham for Conatus News about the origins of Spiked, Brexit, Marxism, perceptions of Russia in the West and more. This is part 1 of a 3-part interview. An audio version of this text is available at the end of the article. Brian Graham: I thought it might be […] Read more

Iranian Dreams: Exiles Describe Their Ideal Iran

April 9, 2018 | by | 0 Comments
We asked four Iranians, persecuted for varying religious and political reasons unable to return to their country what their ideal Iran looks like. The recent protests in Iran have sent a clear message that Iranians are unhappy with the state of their country. From economic policies to strictly enforced religious laws, Iranians are fed up […] Read more