Month: September 2018

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The World’s Most Elegant Dressers

When meeting Kuwaitis in their natural setting, which of course is Kuwait, the most immediately remarkable thing about them is that the males of the species all seem to dress alike. Every Kuwaiti man, with very few exceptions, wears a long plain robe called a dishdasha, a head cloth called a ghutra, a headband called an ogal, and a pair of sandals or naal on his feet. So why do all Kuwaiti men seem to dress the same? The answer is simple. The dress of the Kuwaiti male is a fine example of personal adaptation to the rigours of the local climate. And, a most elegant one at that! …..

….. a pentrait by Omar the Outsider Continue reading “The World’s Most Elegant Dressers”

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A Day in the Life of an Ordinary Kuwaiti

It is said, by those who do not really know much about the matter, that life for the Ordinary Kuwaiti is just one long idyllic existence. An Ordinary Kuwaiti enjoys his share of the oil dividend with a cradle to grave welfare system and an easy job in the civil service. Some say this makes for a life of indolence and self-indulgence. But a closer examination reveals that such an assertion is utterly preposterous and in fact the typical day experienced by the ordinary male citizen of Kuwait is little more than a series of onerous duties to be discharged without complaint …..

….. a pentrait by Omar the Outsider Continue reading “A Day in the Life of an Ordinary Kuwaiti”

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Islam & Democracy

Most people believe that Islamic political theory is anti-democratic, ie it does not allow for rule by the people. This is not true at all. In fact, in Islamic jurisprudence rulers are only considered legitimate provided they have the consent of those they govern. However the notions that underpin Islamic democracy are very different from the ideas that form the conceptual basis of Western political democracy.

An understanding of what democracy actually means in the context of Islam shows firstly that the countries in the Middle East that claim to be Islamic fall well short of the Islamic ideal. An understanding may also provide pointers as to how ‘spreading democracy’ in the Arabic world can be achieved …..

….. editorial by Paul D Kennedy
Continue reading “Islam & Democracy”

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Infoganda & the Withering of Scepticism

A free, vigorous and sceptical press has long been considered the underpinning of a truly democratic form of government because, without a continuous stream of accurate factual information on current events, citizens cannot know whether the government they voted for is working well and in the best interests of their country and the world at large. Is the American press still doing its job? …..

….. by Paul D Kennedy Continue reading “Infoganda & the Withering of Scepticism”

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