Opposing Fundamentalist Movements

In her powerful talk on terrorism, Karima Bennoune explains why sharing the stories of those opposing terrorism in their own communities is of the utmost importance. Despite the assumption Muslims generally condone terrorism, the speaker explains there are, in reality, many fierce opponents of both terrorism and the fundamentalism from which it stems. The author emphasizes human rights advocates must stand against these extreme movements and support their grassroots opponents.

One key way to do this is sharing counter-stereotypical narratives of real people fighting in their own Muslim contexts. The talk on terrorism goes on to offer four different stories, from staging girl school theater to the resolve of an Afghan prosecutor to Ramadan basketball tournaments to an Algerian law student murdered in the street.

The talk on terrorism finds hope in the strength of these people to tell their stories and go on with life as well as everywhere that women and men continued to defy jihadis.