soil of patriarchy, capitalism, racism, and colonialism. Fascisms and
fundamentalisms are designed to perpetuate the illusion that their
dominance is inevitable, that the world has always been this way, and
that resistance is futile.
Recognizing the value of contemporary knowledge in building the
antifascist mobilizing and organizing of our dreams, we had to start by
understanding the evolution of the narratives, strategies and systems
of different fascist movements and regimes in the context of the Global
South, especially regions that are not deeply researched and studied
in modern literature. To challenge our fixed ideas of deep-rooted and
interconnected systems of oppression that contribute to creating a fertile
environment accelerating the development of fascist and fundamentalist
movements and discourses, we began in 2023 by mapping the Middle
East, North Africa (SWANA) and South and Southeast Asia (SSEA Asia)
regions.
THIS MAPPING URGES US TO SCRUTINIZE
WHAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A ‘NORMALIZED’
REALITY AND RECOGNIZE IT THROUGH THE
LENS OF FASCISM AND FUNDAMENTALISM.
THIS MAPPING PROJECT IS A STARTING POINT
FOR INTERVENTION. AFTER ALL, THE ONLY
WAY TO COUNTER A POLITICAL PROJECT IS
WITH A POLITICAL PROJECT OF OUR OWN.
This mapping navigates the delicate balance between historicizing
systems of oppression and understanding the emergence of new actors
and narratives embedded within these fascist and fundamentalist political
projects. At Noor, we understand that these forces are evolving in ways
that demand strategic responses. This is what the mapping is here to
accomplish. It serves as a compass, guiding us through the ways fascist
and fundamentalist forces are tightening their grip, gaining control and
access. It unpacks the elements propelling their political project forward
and the narratives they wield to hold us back. By examining how these
forces operate from the grassroots to the highest levels of power, this
mapping urges us to scrutinize what might seem like a ‘normalized’
reality and recognize it through the lens of fascism and fundamentalism.
This mapping project is a starting point for intervention. After all, the only
way to counter a political project is with a political project of our own.
A pressing question arises: why focus on fascist and fundamentalist
political projects in these two specific regions now?
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