Apostasy and the Liberal Predicament

In 1994, Husayn Ali Qambar, a Kuwaiti Shici, abandoned Islam and joined the Evangelical Church. The news of his conversion caused quite a sensation in Kuwait, as such an event is practically unheard of in the Arabian Peninsula. Instead of keeping a low profile, as is the custom amongst converts in the Middle East, Qambar self-confidently stood up to the storm of reactions. He agreed to meet with the press and appeared in photos wearing a small silver cross around his neck and holding a Bible in his hand. To the question of why he had decided to become Christian, Qambar candidly answered 'I have found God else where'

Apostasy and the Liberal Predicament

In 1994, Husayn Ali Qambar, a Kuwaiti Shici, abandoned Islam and joined the Evangelical Church. The news of his conversion caused quite a sensation in Kuwait, as such an event is practically unheard of in the Arabian Peninsula. Instead of keeping a low profile, as is the custom amongst converts in the Middle East, Qambar self-confidently stood up to the storm of reactions. He agreed to meet with the press and appeared in photos wearing a small silver cross around his neck and holding a Bible in his hand. To the question of why he had decided to become Christian, Qambar candidly answered 'I have found God else where'

Freelancing in the Kingdom: Filipino Migrant Domestic Workers Crafting Agency in Saudi Arabia

This paper examines how Muslim Filipino domestic workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia creatively assert agency and solicit recognition despite their precarious position in that country. One way that they do so is by leaving their legal employers to go 'freelance', selling their labor to the highest bidder and living as best they can as irregular migrants in that country. The capacity to act in that way is enabled by the high demand for domestic labor and the wider network of relations among compatriot and kin who provide them with assistance. While effectively drawing on those social networks, migrant domestic workers, nonetheless, continue to bear the cost of a stigmatized social position among their co-nationals