<div dir="ltr"><h1 class="">New UK Language Policy Aims to Lessen Extremist Threat</h1>
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David Cameron's new English-language policy aims to lessen
the threat of Islamic extremism, but will it prove to be a successful
strategy? </div>
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By Codi Robertson </div>
<p>Thu, February 11, 2016</p>
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<img src="http://www.clarionproject.org/sites/default/files/UK-border-Cameron-language-test.jpg" class="" alt="(Photo © Danny Man / flickr)">
<p class="">(Photo © Danny Man / flickr)</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a3d4e71-ca9b-4bb0-a2b2-f156e4555235" style="font-size:16px">British </span><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35338413" style="font-size:16px">Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced plans for a $29-million English-language policy directed at Muslim women.</a><span style="font-size:16px">
In said policy, Muslim female immigrants will receive assistance in
learning English, and, starting in October, “people coming to the UK on a
five-year spousal visa will have to take a test after two-and-a-half
years to show they are making efforts to improve their English.”</span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a3d4e71-ca9b-4bb0-a2b2-f156e4555235" style="font-size:16px">In defense of this new policy, Cameron argued </span><span style="font-size:16px">there
is "a connection with combating extremism," and improving English is
important "to help people become more resilient against the messages of
Daesh [ISIS].” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px">He also argued segregation allows "appalling practices" such as female genital mutilation and forced marriage to exist.</span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a3d4e71-ca9b-4bb0-a2b2-f156e4555235" style="font-size:16px">However, </span><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/18/david-cameron-stigmatising-muslim-women-learn-english-language-policy" style="font-size:16px">many commentators are skeptical of this strategy.</a><span style="font-size:16px">
One such skeptic, Andy Burnham, the Shadow Home Secretary, tweeted:
“Cameron’s simplistic, headline-driven approach to extremism risks
unfairly stigmatising a whole community, thereby making the problem
worse.” Adding that “There is a real danger that it could end up
driving further radicalisation, rather than tackling it.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px">The thought being, presumably, that if
these immigrant women (and perhaps their husbands too) feel
stigmatized, this may kindle motivation to join an opposing force like
ISIS.</span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a3d4e71-ca9b-4bb0-a2b2-f156e4555235" style="font-size:16px"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/only-muslim-women-can-reform-islam/">Not all analysts fear this outcome, though.</a></span><span style="font-size:16px">
Allison Pearson, a journalist for The Telegraph, states: “Incredibly,
it is easier in 2016 for a Muslim to lead a life broadly untouched by
English language and culture than it was 30 years ago. And that really
matters at a time when home-grown terrorism is such a threat. This week,
yet more British Muslims (four students this time) </span><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/12105374/Isil-inspired-plot-for-drive-by-London-shootings-Old-Bailey-hears.html" style="font-size:16px">were on trial</a><span style="font-size:16px"> for allegedly plotting drive-by shootings against police and soldiers.”</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:16px">If these immigrants never
feel like the UK is their country, and instead continue to distance
themselves from it (e.g.. refusing to learn English), then, the argument
goes, it will be much easier for them to join extremist groups like
ISIS that also views the Western world as other. </span></p>
<div id="signup-0603"><img src="http://media.clarionproject.org/05-2013/Button.png" style="display: block;"></div><p><span style="font-size:16px">It
remains unclear as to whether or not the new policy will be effective
in preventing ISIS recruitment in the UK, at least in the immediate
future. But, at the very least, it should help new Muslim immigrant
women to find their voices -- which, eventually, could very well lead to
the creation of a protective barrier from extremist teachings with
newly-assimilated and Western-educated women refusing to be victims of
oppression once again.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px">This report offers both sides of the argument and includes a comment from PM Cameron:</span></p><p><span style="font-size:16px"><a href="http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/new-uk-language-policy-aims-lessen-extremist-threat#">http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/new-uk-language-policy-aims-lessen-extremist-threat#</a><br></span></p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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