Demonizing the “Other:” Fundamentalist Pakistani Madrasahs and the Construction of Religious Violence

This article explores the role of fundamentalist, extremist teachings and alleged child abuse in Pakistani Islamic schools, known as madrasahs, in the construction of Islamic violence. A comparison of the educational deprivation, psychological harm, and physical and sexual abuse endured by madrasah students with the experiences of former Canadian residential school survivors, indicates that these two groups generally suffer various pathological internal and external reactions to violence. Further research should attempt to investigate allegations of harm experienced by madrasah students, with the goals of policy reform to protect these children, and the modernization and standardization of problematic madrasah curricula