What is Hindu nationalism?
A short guide to the ideology of India's new prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Politics & Conflict
Is Bhutan still the “happiest nation on earth”?
Bhutan nestles in the Himalayas between India and China. Most people in the west don’t know much about this tiny, remote and impoverished kingdom – except that its monarchy promotes…
India’s election: is secular democracy under threat? Writers, artists and businessmen give their views
This week, voting closed on the Indian general election. It has taken six weeks, with nine separate stages allowing for election staff and security personnel to be redistributed around the…
Rescuing the missing girls, not sectarianism, must be the priority in Nigeria
“I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah. I will sell them off and marry them off. There is a market for selling humans. Women…
Will Iraq’s election ease sectarian tension?
Against the backdrop of bloody violence, it is a victory that voting took place at all. But the real challenge will lie in securing the country's fragile peace, writes Samira…
Possessed by the Chairman
The discovery last autumn of a Maoist cult in South London shocked the world, writes Sam Geall. But does it have any parallels in modern-day China?
Nick Clegg calls for disestablishment of the Church of England
David Cameron has been very keen in recent weeks to let us all know that he thinks Britain is a Christian country, but where does his Coalition partner Nick Clegg…
Who are Boko Haram – and how can they be stopped?
Samira Shackle takes a closer look at the Nigerian Islamist group, which has killed 1,500 people this year alone, and asks what could be done to end the organisation's increasingly…
The question isn’t whether Britain is Christian, it’s whether it should be
David Cameron’s comments about the importance of Christianity in Britain have dominated the headlines over the past week. Whether or not he is pleased with the coverage is another matter.…
American lawmakers are sabotaging their own Constitution
A new law in Mississippi will give businesses the right to refuse to serve people on religious grounds. It's a clear violation of the US First Amendment, says Ralph Jones