In class, we discussed two interesting articles: one on land degradation and its use as a justification for colonization, and another on resistance to minarets in the EU.

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*You can find my reflections to these articles on this website!

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The first article was about land degradation and the factoids used to justify colonization. These factoids include:

• Prior degradation justifies external rule

• Simplistic apposition of rulers and subjects

• The destructive goat

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Basically, colonizers used these factoids as justification to change the culture and landscape. They had ideas that:

• Previous rule degraded the environment, so current rule is justified

• Natives are ignorant in how they use the land

• More legalities and punishment were needed related to land use

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It was enlightening to see how these justifications were used to impose external rule and disrupt local cultures and environments. It made me think critically about the long-term impacts of colonialism on land use and cultural practices.

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Then, we discussed an article about the resistance to minarets in the EU. It was a fascinating and well-written article, but frustrating to read. There is a lot of fear surrounding Muslim populations in the EU. The far right is highly against the construction of minarets and argues that it is a political statement. A minaret is a tall tower that is usually attached to or built into a mosque. They are used to amplify the call to prayer, or adhan.  The construction of mosques is seen as a threat and also signifies Muslim permanence, which some do not like, as Muslims originally came to the EU for work and most assumed they would leave. This discussion highlighted the ongoing challenges of integration and the impact of xenophobia on policy and community cohesion.

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After class, the whole group took a taxi to Coral Bay. While I napped, my classmates swam in the cool water. It was really hot but a great day to enjoy the beach and have some watermelon! We returned to Paphos, then my roommates and I watched the sunset from the Sunset Point and enjoyed pizza and ice cream on the promenade. It was a lovely night, and we were tired once we got back to the apartment.