1. It is well said that the longer the saw of contention is drawn the hotter it grows; and the beginning of strife is as the letting forth of water. Since the fateful Brexit referendum of 2016, the troubled seas of UK’s identity politics are accordingly raging most severely each time they dash against the rock of reality. It therefore begs a simple question: How does one challenge identity politics in a liberal democratic country such as the United Kingdom of Great Britain?

2.  No one is better qualified to answer this question than Emeritus Professor John Charvet of the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

3. He was appropriately born in an Egyptian city of Cairo, in 1938; where his father worked for Shell oil company. John’s ancestry is also strikingly appropriate; for his heritage in its totality includes: English, French, Italian and Egyptian. However, he inherited his British nationality and citizenship from his father. His formative years were spent in Cairo, where he experienced the Second World War, but subsequently relocated to the United Kingdom in 1946, where he was privately educated. 

4. Graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in economics, John’s first job was as an Assistant Principal in the Home Civil Service at the Board of Trade. But it was not a success. He subsequently read for post graduate degree in Politics at Oxford University, from whence he took up a teaching position at the LSE, teaching the History of Political Philosophy. John took to teaching like a duck to water and remained at the LSE until his retirement at the age of 65. During his teaching career, John was a visiting Professor at The John Hopkins University in Baltimore, and a visiting Fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra. He has published seven books and numerous articles. John is now an Emeritus Professor at the LSE - dividing his time between France and Brighton. John now occupies himself with his love of all things gardening; he is also working on a new book entitled, Communitarian Ethics.

5.  In this Episode, we answer the question: How To Challenge Identity Politics In A Liberal Democracy?

6. Look up Episode 004 of Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa, and please subscribe to Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa podcast through your favourite podcast app to listen to the latest insights from our guest thought leaders.

Recommended Reading:

1. The Ethics of Identity (Princeton University Press, 2005), by K.A. Appiah

2. Pluralism (Duke University Press, 2005), by W. Connolly

3. Liberalism: The Basics (Routledge, 2019), by J.Charvet

1. In these strange and vacillating times of Brexit and identity politics, in which every tribe in England takes solace in the familiar, I think it is important for us to cut each other a little slack when speaking words of woe. We should be very slow to judge; for we may not know who it is that is actually speaking, as the voice of the seeming bigot may in fact be the voice carrying in its dark strains the emotions of great sorrow. Now I am not naïve as to imagine that every bigot screaming obscenities at me, asking me to catch the nearest aeroplane to fly back to where I came from is not a racist. Hell no! I have had my fair share of xenophobic encounters and mean-spiritedness to know the difference.

2. In this Episode, I read an old blog-post I first published in 2019 in the hopes of helping us not to be quick to judge when confronted by a racist attacker, any racist, directing violent abuse at us. For we may never know what kind hell the attacker maybe in. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship once said: “Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others, we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”

3.Look up Episode 003 of Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa, and please subscribe to Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa podcast through your favourite podcast app to listen to the latest insights from our guest thought leaders.

Detailed Synopsis

The War on Terror, particularly concerning Guantanamo Bay and other detention centres, has had profound and lasting effects on the mental health of Muslims. This episode sheds light on the traumatic events in American-run prisons, such as Abu Ghraib, where detainees, including innocent individuals like shepherds, bakers, farmers, journalists, and humanitarian aid workers, were subjected to torture, humiliation, and dehumanisation.

The psychological impact on Muslim prisoners is exemplified by the statement of Al Jazeera journalist Saleh Al-Jaili, who mentioned that the trauma of such experiences "never really left me." The detainees, their families, friends, and communities have all been affected by the systemic abuse and structural violations of human rights that occurred during the War on Terror.

Individuals detained without trial, often for years, faced conditions that led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues. The alarming suicide rates among detainees in places like Guantanamo Bay indicate the severe psychological toll of prolonged detention, torture, and isolation.

Furthermore, the effects of the War on Terror extended beyond the detainees themselves. Families were torn apart, communities were shattered, and entire countries were left in disarray. The lack of infrastructure, the loss of loved ones, and the ongoing trauma of the events have created a pervasive sense of fear, anxiety, and despair among Muslim populations affected by these actions.

This episode also highlights the long-term consequences of such traumatic experiences, emphasising that the effects will continue to reverberate throughout the lives of those impacted for decades to come. The mental health implications of the War on Terror on Muslims, both directly and indirectly affected, underscore the urgent need for support, healing, and justice in addressing the lasting scars of this dark chapter in history.

Based on the information provided in the podcast episode, it is evident that Western powers, particularly the United Kingdom and the United States, have been selective in their criticism of systemic abuse of women based on their alliances. The episode points out the case of Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the Western powers, where significant concerns exist about the treatment of women and human rights violations.

Despite well-documented issues regarding women's rights in Saudi Arabia, including restrictions on freedom of movement, dress codes, and the guardianship system, Western powers have maintained strong diplomatic ties with the country. This highlights the hypocrisy in Western countries turning a blind eye to the systemic abuse of women in Saudi Arabia while criticising similar practices in other countries.

The discussion in the episode raises questions about ethical consistency in foreign policy and international relations. The Western powers' willingness to overlook human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, a strategic ally in the region, while condemning similar violations in other countries undermines the credibility of their stance on women's rights and human rights more broadly.

The episode suggests that the prioritisation of political and economic interests over human rights considerations leads to a double standard in the Western powers' approach to addressing systemic abuse of women. This selective criticism based on alliances calls into question the sincerity and commitment of these countries to upholding universal values of equality and justice for all individuals, regardless of their nationality or geopolitical significance.

The Prevent program in the UK, aimed at countering terrorism, has faced criticism for its ineffectiveness and reliance on stereotypes and indicators of suspicion. Susan Edwards, in the podcast episode, discusses the flaws of the Prevent program. She highlights that Prevent doesn't actually prevent terrorism and has demonstrated to be a significant problem due to the stereotypes it is based on and the indicators of suspicion it relies on. The program has been criticised for its narrow definition of radicalisation, which includes active opposition to fundamental British values. This definition raises concerns about how dissent or criticism of British policies could be misconstrued as signs of radicalization. Susan Edwards points out that the indicators used by Prevent to identify potential threats are vague and can lead to profiling and discrimination based on stereotypes.

Furthermore, Susan Edwards mentions the tragic killing of Sir David Amess and other terrorist attacks in the UK, indicating that despite the existence of the Prevent program, such incidents continue to occur. This suggests that the program may not be effectively addressing the root causes of radicalisation or preventing acts of terrorism. The reliance on stereotypes and indicators of suspicion in the Prevent program may contribute to a climate of fear and mistrust within communities, potentially alienating individuals and hindering genuine efforts to counter extremism.

Overall, the discussion in the podcast episode underscores the need for a more nuanced and effective approach to countering terrorism that goes beyond stereotypes and addresses the underlying factors that contribute to radicalization. The criticisms of the Prevent program highlight the importance of reevaluating and reforming counterterrorism strategies to ensure they are based on evidence-based practices and respect for human rights.

Times stamp



[00:03:16] The dress wars and laws.

[00:05:50] Stereotypes around women's dress.

[00:13:27] Definition of Islamophobia.

[00:18:32] Orientalism and justice prioritisation.

[00:23:32] Right-wing populism in Europe.

[00:29:38] Shamima Begum's complex case.

[00:35:08] Being groomed online.

[00:37:11] Writing about Abu Ghraib.

[00:43:18] Guantanamo Bay and Patriot Acts.

[00:49:43] The rule of law in the United States.

[00:53:57] Effects of war on Muslims.

[00:59:57] UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

[01:02:43] Prevent program effectiveness debate.

[01:11:45] Western politicians' institutional racism.

[01:16:19] Brexit's impact on British society.

[01:17:37] Rise of hate crimes.

According to the UN Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of refugees and forcibly displaced people increased to a staggering 82.4 million by the end of 2020; more than 26 million of whom are refugees, a number which is larger than the entire population of Taiwan. As recent tragic events in Afghanistan clearly show, the world is as a troubled sea, raging and dashing against a rock of growing global inequality; and the global Covid-19 pandemic is exacerbating things, making a bad situation worse.

2. Truer words have never been spoken, namely: “Troubles are the trials of friendship.” For when a man is afflicted he will see who are his friends indeed and who are but pretenders; a brother is born for adversity.

3. The Kamugasa Challenge is delighted to present to you the 1st Episode of ‘Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa’ Podcast; and our special inaugural guest is, The Rt. Revd. Dr Alan Wilson, the Bishop of Buckingham.

4. This inaugural episode is entitled, “Refugees and Foreigners Are Welcome.” The refugee crisis is the background canvas upon which the discussion will proceed; and more specifically, the discussion will endeavour to answer a more specific question, namely: “Who is my neighbour?”

5. “Who is my neighbour?” is a pertinent question of our troubled times – both at home in the UK and abroad – especially when we call to mind a wise old saying: “Those that wrong their neighbour may thereby, in the end, wrong their own children more than they know.”

6. Bishop Wilson was born in Edinburgh, and was brought up in East London and Kent. He was educated at St John’s College, at the University of Cambridge; and then Balliol College at Oxford University, where he completed a Doctoral Degree in modern historical theology. Dr Wilson has been the Bishop of Buckingham since 2003; and is a member of the Council of Christians and Jews, the Howard League for Penal Reform, the Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust, and the Ecclesiastical Law Society. Dr Wilson is the author of ‘More Perfect Union: Understanding Same-Sex Christian Marriage.’

7. Do you want to learn more about Bishop Wilson? Follow him on Twitter, Alan Wilson @alantlwilson or visit his blog, http://bishopalan.blogspot.com/

8. This Special Episode is dedicated to ordinary men and women, who did much to help Stephen Kamugasa during his sore years of distress as a penniless refugee in England. The Episode is also dedicated to Windle Trust International for verifying Stephen Kamugasa’s identity in an independent report requested by the University of Buckingham.

Kindly look up Episode 001 of Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa, and please subscribe to Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa podcast through your favourite podcast app to listen to the latest insights from our guest thought leaders.

Recommended Reading:

a) Doctrine in the Church of England: The Report of the Commission on Christian Doctrine Appointed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in 1922.

b) A Plot to Kill: A true story of deception, betrayal and murder in a quiet English town. By David Wilson.

c) The Independent Safeguarding Review: lessons learnt from events in the parishes of Stowe and Maids Moreton, 2012-2019. By Dr Adi Cooper, OBE.

d) Striking the Balance: Upholding the Seven Principles of Public Life in Regulation.

e) History: Whose history is it anyway? By Stephen Kamugasa