Think Tanks

[gunner]

Do you feel think tanks such as Quilliam can have an influence on radical Islam?

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The co founder ED Hussein has been a prominent speaker and activist against the dangers of radical Islam in the UK and wider community, i feel his work should be commended.

Paul

 

[donsutherland1]

Do you feel think tanks such as Quilliam can have an influence on radical Islam?

homepage

The co founder ED Hussein has been a prominent speaker and activist against the dangers of radical Islam in the UK and wider community, i feel his work should be commended.

Paul

Typically, think tanks and policy institutes have greater influence in societies in which the free flow of information/ideas is encouraged. Hence, some of the non-democratic areas in which radical Islam is strongest, its message could have limited effect. Nonetheless, the effort is still useful and should be commended. For example, the availability of credible moderate viewpoints can pose a challenge to the spread of more radical ideas.

 

[Gardener]

Typically, think tanks and policy institutes have greater influence in societies in which the free flow of information/ideas is encouraged.

......but considering the degree to which so many Europeans defend Islamism under the misapprehension they are defending Muslims, I would say that the free flow of information does not guarantee an intelligent treatment of such.

 

[gunner]

......but considering the degree to which so many Europeans defend Islamism under the misapprehension they are defending Muslims, I would say that the free flow of information does not guarantee an intelligent treatment of such.

Can you offer something of relevance.

The question was 'Do you feel think tanks such as Quilliam can have an influence on radical Islam?'

Paul

 

[donsutherland1]

......but considering the degree to which so many Europeans defend Islamism under the misapprehension they are defending Muslims, I would say that the free flow of information does not guarantee an intelligent treatment of such.

The availability of information and how that information is used are both important. Effective communication should promote the understanding necessary for reasonable people to make informed judgments based on the communicated information. If those providing information witness regular misuse of the information, then their purpose for providing that information could be undermined unless they find ways to deal with that issue.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

Do you feel think tanks such as Quilliam can have an influence on radical Islam? --

Thanks for this Paul, hadn't come across Quilliam before.

I feel Don is right regarding where Quilliam and other groups can best achieve or influence the radicals is in society where ideas and dialogue are free and open - however that's not to say that in more closed societies that the influence of such a group may be long term rather than sudden and dramatic.

 

[gunner]

Thanks for this Paul, hadn't come across Quilliam before.

I feel Don is right regarding where Quilliam and other groups can best achieve or influence the radicals is in society where ideas and dialogue are free and open - however that's not to say that in more closed societies that the influence of such a group may be long term rather than sudden and dramatic.

Very much so. To expand, hopefully in the more open and free societies sites like this help offer a level of context and dispels misinformation but, for me, its getting the information delivered to the mainstream, by what ever conduit, that proves sometimes problematic. Distortions in our popular press has much to answer.
Whereas less democratic societies we have to deal with a whole different set of factors. Here if we reach just a small element then may be the benefit will be of far greater importance and magnitude.

Paul

 

[Gardener]

Can you offer something of relevance.

The question was 'Do you feel think tanks such as Quilliam can have an influence on radical Islam?'

Paul

If you had only paid attention, you would have seen that I was replying to a comment Donald made rather than to you. The relevence, therefore, would be in regard to the statement he made rather than to yours.

next time I wish to address you I will.

 

[Gardener]

The availability of information and how that information is used are both important. Effective communication should promote the understanding necessary for reasonable people to make informed judgments based on the communicated information. If those providing information witness regular misuse of the information, then their purpose for providing that information could be undermined unless they find ways to deal with that issue.

The flaw in this, Donald, is that you predicate your statement upon people's reasoning ability. In the realm of public opinion, it isn't reason responsible for the vast majority of people arriving at a political position, but the subtle and not so subtle pressures they experience by way of conforming to a certain paradigm.

The only difference between a state-controled flow of information and one that is heavily influenced by a nominally independent media is the source. People being people, they will still treat information in ways that are more tribal than they are logical or reasonable, and their questioning of the source is only so good as their natural abilities towards independence of mind. There may be more sources of information in the west, but people still limit their choices to those that reinforce the paradigm.

 

[gunner]

If you had only paid attention, you would have seen that I was replying to a comment Donald made rather than to you.

I paid full attention. The accusation still stands.

Paul

 

[Gardener]

I paid full attention. The accusation still stands.

Paul

Yes, I realize you have made an accusation.

 

[donsutherland1]

The flaw in this, Donald, is that you predicate your statement upon people's reasoning ability.

While many people are rational, I don't assume all people are or that people are rational all the time. Ethnic conflicts over fundamental differences, market panics, etc., highlight the risks of assuming all people are rational or that rationality prevails all of the time. A similar situation applies with respect to objectivity/biases, etc. Those realities are just some examples of the possible barriers to the think tank's effectiveness in achieving its mission. In general, though, I do believe the availability of useful information is better than the scarcity. I believe some "competition" with the radical message is better than none. Hopefully, over time, a viable alternative could build the critical mass necessary to diminish the appeal of more radical messages. Given how basic religion/religious interpretation is, I fully recognize that the think tank faces formidable challenges.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

Very much so. To expand, hopefully in the more open and free societies sites like this help offer a level of context and dispels misinformation but, for me, its getting the information delivered to the mainstream, by what ever conduit, that proves sometimes problematic. Distortions in our popular press has much to answer.
Whereas less democratic societies we have to deal with a whole different set of factors. Here if we reach just a small element then may be the benefit will be of far greater importance and magnitude.

Paul

It's not just the popular press that puts forward a distorted view and describes Islam as some kind of monolithic religion with a hidden agenda.

This particular Think Tank has a huge job putting forward an alternate view to dissaffected young muslims as well as countering hard-right propaganda and accusations of "islamisation" to a gullible indiginous population. They will have a job on their hands countering BNP propaganda here in the UK but also countering jihadist propaganda on the internet and in school / university corridors.

Trouble is, when you're the subject of racist attack, you seek refuge and protection and the only people defending Muslims right now are other muslims. Some of these end up in gangs who then become a social problem in their own right on the pathway to more insidious and radical ends.

 

[gunner]

It seems they have had some joy with certain extremist groups recanting their beliefs

Quilliam Roundtable - Refuting Al-Qaeda: Former jihadists and the battle of ideologies

Paul