I Refuse to Condemn - by Asim Qureshi (Hardcover)

About the Book

I refuse to condemn highlights how in times of national security a culture of condemnation is expected of people of colour that sits at the heart of structurally racist systems. This collection catalogues the ways in which scholars and activists experience and resist this expectation.

Book Synopsis

In times of heightened national security, scholars and activists from the communities under suspicion often attempt to alert the public to the more complex stories behind the headlines. But when they raise questions about the government, military and police policy, these individuals are routinely shut down and accused of being terrorist sympathisers or apologists for gang culture. In such environments, there is immense pressure to condemn what society at large fears. This collection explains how the expectation to condemn has emerged, tracking it against the normalisation of racism, and explores how writers manage to subvert expectations as part of their commitment to anti-racism.

From the Back Cover

After every terrorist atrocity or criminal incident carried out by a person of colour, commentators demand that minority ethnic and religious communities condemn what society at large fears. Why are these groups held accountable for the actions of others? What is this culture of condemnation we live in? How do you resist racism in times of heightened national security?

I Refuse to Condemn is an assertion of resistance. Bringing together the voices of scholars and activists from across the UK, US and Australia, it explores the manifestation of condemnation culture through drawing readers and listeners into the complexity of the world we inhabit, and the behaviours that shape our daily lives. It questions the powers that police those who dare to raise questions of their own. It exposes the oppressive influence of reactionary societal norms and systemic racism, and shows us how to recognise this, and how to resist.

Featuring new writing from rapper Lowkey, comedian Aamer Rahman, grassroots organisers like Hoda Katebi and poet Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, this book offers inspirational tales of how to subvert expectations and make your voice heard. An urgent, timely and empowering read.

Review Quotes

'I Refuse to Condemn gives a direct window into multifarious ways that Muslim and minoritized voices are subjected to containment and constraint - but more importantly, how they think through such experiences and respond to them.'
Contemporary Studies of Islam

'The text's compilation is powerful; it sheds light on different approaches to exploring and uncovering systematic injustice and malpractice and encourages the reader not necessarily to agree but to understand and to challenge preconceived ideas and thinking.'
The Muslim World Book Review (42:2, 2022)

About the Author

Asim Qureshi is the Researcher Director of CAGE, an independent advocacy organisation