Ian Buruma is Professor of Democracy, Human Rights, and Journalism at Bard College. He is the author of numerous books, including Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo Van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance and Year Zero: A History of 1945.
Since the end of the last century, anti-Muslim rhetoric has increasingly been couched in the language of human rights, with the "burkini ban" in several French seaside towns being the latest example. … read more
Donald Trump has been ridiculed for his peculiar hairdo, a puffy, dyed comb-over more reminiscent of a nightclub manager than a presidential candidate. But weirdness – peculiar upper-class mannerisms… read more
If Brexit triggers a Europe-wide revolt against liberal elites, it would be the first time in history that Britain leads a wave of illiberalism in Europe. This would be a great tragedy – for Britain, … read more
Donald Trump has been compared to a fascist, as has Vladimir Putin and a variety of demagogues and right-wing loudmouths in Europe. But the problem with terms like “fascism” or “Nazi” is that so many … read more
It is a common conceit among leftists in Europe that racial prejudice, including anti-Semitism, is a uniquely right-wing phenomenon. Former London Mayor and Labour politician Ken Livingstone has provi… read more
Following US President Barack Obama’s trailblazing visit to Cuba, a free concert by the Rolling Stones in Havana might seem like a relatively minor event. And yet, symbolically, the concert was not mi… read more
Referendums are all the rage in Europe, with British, Hungarian, and Dutch voters set to exercise "direct democracy" in the coming months. But while referendums are sometimes used in representative de… read more
Democracy, in the sense of majority rule, needs restraints, just like any other system of government. In the US, as elsewhere, key traditional restraints – including religion, professional journalism,… read more
It is probably true that we cannot expect history to tell us what to do in any given crisis. But, given that some patterns of human behavior recur, knowledge about the past can help us understand our … read more
