tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post6391626855107064994..comments2024-03-19T09:06:21.507-04:00Comments on Irtiqa: A friendlier atheismSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-33900416823584919142009-04-29T22:54:00.000-04:002009-04-29T22:54:00.000-04:00"Salman, would you be unable to get it in Pakistan..."Salman, would you be unable to get it in Pakistan under a blasphemy law or similar? Do those apply only to texts in Urdu?"<br /><br />Well - its more because only a small segment of the population read english books - and this group is overall lot more educated and relatively liberal (the educated elites). For the same reason, english language newspapers like <I>Dawn</I> can get away with a lot more than Urdu newspapers. Also note that the literacy rate in Pakistan (meaning one can sign one's name) is (charitably) around 50% - so there is not that much population out there that read and object to a book in English (unless it is politically expedient - as was the case with the whole Rushdie Affair. But even then, the riots only started after its excerpts showed up in Urdu newspapers). <br /><br />A whole different topic, but much of this is because of a segmented education system (there are 4-types of education systems in Pakistan. Here is a list with decreasing quality and accessibility: a) (British) Cambridge schools b) English-medium schools c) Urdu-medium schools d) Madrassas. Outside of major cities, you will predominantly find urdu-medium schools and madrassas. And if you are wondering where did Pakistan get that kind of segmented education system, then look no further than the British Empire. The British wanted to create an educated elite that can act as a buffer between them and the masses. Here is an excerpt from Lord McCauley's education minute from 1835:<br /><br />"It is impossible for us, with our limited means, to attempt to educate the body of the people. We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect. To that class we may leave it to refine the vernacular dialects of the country, to enrich those dialects with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature, and to render them by degrees fit vehicles for conveying knowledge to the great mass of the population."<br /><br />Charming, isn't it? Read the full document <A HREF="http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00generallinks/macaulay/txt_minute_education_1835.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>. The British are gone - but the system is still there - with all the inequalities. Yup - things are all very messy. By the way, I'm also a beneficiary of the system, as I went to an english-medium school.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-76459959277949536322009-04-29T18:09:00.000-04:002009-04-29T18:09:00.000-04:00Salman, would you be unable to get it in Pakistan ...Salman, would you be unable to get it in Pakistan under a blasphemy law or similar? Do those apply only to texts in Urdu?hedgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07002804980576789573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-91275692083850514532009-04-29T03:00:00.000-04:002009-04-29T03:00:00.000-04:00I checked with Liberty store and hopefully would g...I checked with Liberty store and hopefully would get that book soon. Thanks for sharing all great stuff.Atif Khanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07137026009148344854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-36307099673775697332009-04-28T15:01:00.000-04:002009-04-28T15:01:00.000-04:00Atif,
You may be able to find it. I was surprised...Atif,<br /><br />You may be able to find it. I was surprised to see several copies of "The God Delusion" at Saeed Books in Islamabad last year. You may have to ask one of the bookstores to get "losing my religion" for you. As long as these books are in english, there is no problem.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-89399855609788245342009-04-28T10:16:00.000-04:002009-04-28T10:16:00.000-04:00I doubt I could get this book in Pakistan.I doubt I could get this book in Pakistan.Atif Khanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07137026009148344854noreply@blogger.com