Most recent articles by Ian Buruma
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Right-wing populism in Europe and the USAThe politics of Islamophobia
When people panic, they can become hysterical and hysteria often leads to mass violence. When politicians convince people that they are in a life-or-death battle – that survival is a matter of "us or them" – anything becomes possible. An essay by Ian Buruma
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The EU's asylum and migration policyNecessary migrants
The EU is still without a coherent policy on migration. Yet economic migration from non-EU countries, under carefully managed conditions, is both legitimate and imperative. Not because such migrants deserve Europeans′ sympathy, but because Europe needs them. By Ian Buruma
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Democracy and freedom of speechCharlie and Theo
In the wake of the Paris attacks, many people were quick to view the killings as a direct attack on democracy and to claim that freedom of speech is absolute. In this essay, Ian Buruma explores the principles of free speech and tolerance
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Protests in TurkeyA Turkish Spring with a Leftist Bent
What began as a protest against plans to build a kitschy shopping centre on the site of a small park in the heart of Istanbul has escalated into a conflict of values. By Ian Buruma
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Islamophobia in EuropeBreivik's Call to Arms
Geert Wilders and other anti-Islamists cannot be made responsible for Anders Breivik's killing spree – but their writings and statements have been sufficiently hysterical and hateful to incite a person with an unbalanced mind, writes Ian Buruma