The Malcolm Effect

The subject of black people’s hair, particularly women’s, continues to dominate our public discourse. Listen in as we discuss all things related to what, is at times a contentious subject, black hair.

Marie Claire is in her final year of her sociology and criminology degree at Goldsmiths university, London.

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The past often informs our present. Listen in to a history lesson on the Confederacy and how America decides to deal with its black citizens

We often hear the terms trauma and healing on social media. But what do they actually mean? Are there merely terms to explain our bad behaviour and personality or is there something to deeper to it? Dr. Kameelah and I discuss.

Kameelah is the Founder and President of Muslim Wellness Foundation (MWF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting healing and emotional well-being in the American Muslim community through dialogue, education, and training. Muslim Wellness Foundation envisions a future in which faith communities are at the forefront of mental health advocacy and committed to developing an inclusive culture of compassion, understanding, and holistic health.

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@DrMamaKam

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Is astrology real? Or merely a superstition that ancient societies once believed in?

Professor Ali discusses all things astrology with me in what was a truly eye opening conversation 

Ali A Olomi is an Assistant Professor of History at Penn State Abington. He researches, writes, and teaches on how Muslims imagined their world through the intersection of science and religion in the service of empire. His work examines discourses of cosmology, geography, and gender and sexuality and how they were drawn together to fashion ideas of a Muslim "homeland." He also examines how premodern intellectual history was drawn into the religious nationalism of the 19th and 20th century. 

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We often hear that we live in a post racial society and in fact it is actually the white working classes who are being left behind in society. I discuss this and more with Dr. Aaron Winter

Aaron Winter is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of East London. His research is on the far-right with a focus on racism, mainstreaming and violence. He is co-editor of Discourses and Practices of Terrorism: Interrogating Terror (Routledge 2010), Historical Perspectives on Organised Crime and Terrorism (Routledge 2018) and Researching the Far Right: Theory, Method and Practice (Routledge 2020), and co-author with Aurelien Mondon of Reactionary Democracy: How Racism and the Populist Far Right Became Mainstream (Verso 2020). He is also an associate editor of Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power and co-editor of the Manchester University Press (MUP) book series Racism, Resistance and Social Change.

How easy is it to stay true to yourself whilst working in a system that is designed to disadvantage you? Does selling out help you rise the ranks in your career or is it purely based on merit? Sultana and I discuss 

Sultana is a human rights, international law and criminal justice barrister. She defends in high profile cases, including counter terrorism and national security cases. She is part of the OSCE Roster of Experts dealing with Counter Terrorism; the Convenor of the Muslim Lawyers Action Group; Convenor of Oxford Advocates on Human Rights; Member of the Legal Expert Advisory Panel for Fair Trials International; and Member of the Detention ExPEERience of Avocat Sans Frontieres. 

Sultana also advises large multi-national corporations on Diversity & Equality matters. She is also the Founder of Modest Fashion Festival which attracted a global audience of 1.56 billion.

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If you’re white, does it mean you’re racist?

I discussed with author and lecturer Daniel Blight. I pushed back on separating systems of oppression and white supremacy versus the people these ideas filter through. Nonetheless it was a truly insightful and interesting conversation. 

Daniel C. Blight is a writer based in London. He works on various forms of the essay, fiction and poetry, and has written for 1000 Words, Aperture, Foam, frieze, The Guardian, Philosophy of Photography, Photoworks, Vogue Italia, Manchester Art Gallery, UCL Art Museum, Art Museum of Estonia, FOMU Belgium and the Australian Centre for Photography. His first book, The Image of Whiteness: Contemporary Photography and Racialization, was co-published by SPBH Editions and Art on the Underground in September 2019. He is Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Historical & Critical Studies in Photography, School of Media, University of Brighton.

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@DanielCBlight

Inside the system, but this time on the defence. Is this the best way to ensure justice in a unjust system? Omran Belhadi details why he chose to work as a defence barrister. Omran mentions some heartbreaking cases, why representation matters and we play a game of hypotheticals. 

*Not official legal advice* 

Omran Belhadi is a criminal barrister at Nexus Chambers. He works on a range of cases including protest cases, large scale drugs and firearms conspiracies and serious violence. Omran has an interest in cases where the State has abused its power. Before practicing as a barrister, Omran worked on cases of detention without trial, drone strikes and torture at Reprieve. Omran is the co-head of the Racial Justice Working Group at the Muslim Lawyers Action Group.

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@BelhadiOmran

In a system that statistically and routinely disadvantages many groups of society, particularly people of colour. Is there much hope of transforming it from within and is this the best course of action. Hauwa Shehu a prosecutor for crown prosecution service discusses it here

Hauwa is a Criminal Barrister with experience in the Criminal Justice Sector, both domestically in the UK and internationally. Hauwa was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2013 and joined the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2014. 

Hauwa has a breadth of experience prosecuting a range of criminal offences including serious violent and sexual assaults, domestic abuse, hate crime, youth cases and organised crime. She has extensive experience of working with vulnerable victims and witnesses and dealing with cases in the Magistrates, Crown and High Courts.

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Britain’s Got Talent finalist Nabil Abdulrashid, was probably the most talked about contestant in this year’s contest. His act saw ITV receive several complaints. He speaks on his experience as a comedian, his time on the show, perfecting his craft and much more

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@ManLikeNabz

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@Nabilu