Leicester Secular Society

22/03/2026

📢 Dravidian Politics & Secular Ethos in India

Join us for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on secularism, social justice, and political transformation in India.

🗓️ Sunday, 29th March
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester (LE1 1WB)
🎟️ Free entry — please register via Eventbrite 👇
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dravidian-politics-secular-ethos-in-india-tickets-1985480902828

This public conversation brings together Vignesh Rajahmani (The Dravidian Pathway) and Karthick Ram Manoharan (Periyar: A Study in Political Atheism, co-editor of The Cambridge Companion to Periyar) to explore how the Dravidian movement reshaped the meaning and practice of secular politics in India.

From Periyar’s radical anti-caste and rationalist critique of religion to the DMK’s transformation of social reform into a durable political project, the discussion will examine how secularism can function as a mass political ethos grounded in social justice, dignity, and democratic mobilisation.

🔍 About the speakers:

Vignesh Rajahmani is a researcher affiliated with King's College London and KITLV-Leiden, specialising in Indian and Indonesian politics, with a PhD from King’s College London. His work spans public policy, political strategy, and democratic development.

Karthick Ram Manoharan is the Smuts Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, whose work focuses on political thought, including Periyar’s legacy and political atheism.

☕ All are welcome — free admission, with tea & biscuits provided.

💜 Donations appreciated to support the volunteer-run Leicester Secular Society and help cover venue costs, refreshments, and future events

Activities of Leicester Secular Society

10/03/2026

Religious privilege should never be used to promote misogyny.

At Leicester Secular Society, Megan Manson, Head of Campaigns at the National Secular Society, spoke about the powerful report “Mission and Misogyny.”

The report exposes how some religious charities promote sexism, patriarchy and violence against women while still benefiting from the privileges of charitable status — including tax breaks and public trust.

Most people would not consider these ideas charitable.
They are harmful ideologies that undermine women’s rights, equality and human dignity.

This work is about holding institutions accountable and ensuring that no organisation can promote misogyny under the protection of religious privilege.

Links in first comment.

15/02/2026

War on Terror on Muslims in the Caucasus
🎙️ Talk by Mariam Shalvashvili

What happens when global “war on terror” policies shape how entire communities are viewed?

🗓️ Sunday, 22 February
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester (LE1 1WB)
🎟️ Free entry — please register via Eventbrite 👇
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/war-on-terror-on-muslims-in-the-caucasus-tickets-1983183090008
🎙️ Hosted by Leicester Secular Society

This thought-provoking talk explores how counter-terrorism narratives in the early 2000s influenced the treatment and perception of Muslim communities in the Caucasus. Using the region as a case study — particularly the context of the second Chechen war and Georgia’s Pankisi Valley — the discussion examines how international security policies, including involvement from Russia and the US after 9/11, contributed to long-term securitisation and stigma.

Through this example, the talk invites us to question broader ideas of terrorism, security, and their impact on ethnic and religious minorities.

Mariam Shalvashvili is a social anthropology PhD candidate at Ilia State University (Georgia), researcher and collaborator with leading Georgian NGOs, and adjunct lecturer at the Free University of Tbilisi. Her work focuses on ethnic and religious minorities in Georgia.

☕ All welcome — free admission, with tea & biscuits provided.

💜 Donations appreciated to support the volunteer-run Leicester Secular Society and help cover venue costs, refreshments, and future events.

What happens when global “war on terror” policies shape how entire communities are viewed?

06/02/2026

https://secsoc.blogspot.com/2026/01/darwin-day-special-evolution-revolution.html

An evening of debate, discovery, and discussion, recorded live for the Unbelievable? show! ...

04/02/2026

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2026/02/nss-supports-no-hijab-day-discussion-in-leicester

Event featuring ex-Muslim women required extra security following protests from Islamic groups. Read More »

18/01/2026

No Hijab Day | Leicester | 1 February 2026

The lived experience of female ex-Muslims is often one of profound liberation and self-discovery — alongside serious risk and loss.

Many face social ostracism, family rejection, fear of violence, and the difficult process of rebuilding identity outside religious control. This can include escaping patriarchal harm such as forced marriage or FGM, reclaiming autonomy over the body and life choices (hijab, work, relationships), and confronting shame, stigma, and isolation.

No Hijab Day also stands in solidarity with women in Iran and elsewhere who continue to resist mandatory hijab laws following the killing of Mahsa Amini. What is often framed as “choice” or “fashion” in the West is enforced through punishment, violence, and fear in many parts of the world.

🗣 Panel of ex-Muslim women
❓ Followed by audience Q&A

🔐 For security reasons, registration via Eventbrite is required.
🎟 Free for Leicester Secular Society members | £5 for non-members

For links to the event and further info see comments.

Hashtags

05/01/2026

An Evening with Christopher Hitchens
6.30pm Sunday 11 January
Secular Hall
75 Humberstone Gate
Leicester LE1 1WB

30/08/2025

This is our first lecture of the Autumn–Winter programme — and we’re excited to kick things off with Dr. Arvind’s thought-provoking talk. He will explore Sarva Dharma Sambhav (Equal Respect for All Religions) as a manifestation of secularism, examining how it has posed challenges and created opportunities for governance and practice.
Dr. Arvind Kumar is a Political Scientist with teaching experience at the University of Hertfordshire, Royal Holloway, University of Delhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is a Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy, EDI Officer for the Political Studies Association Early Career Network, and Trustee of the British Association for South Asian Studies. His writing regularly appears in The Print, India Today, and Firstpost.
Secularism as Sarva Dharma Sambhav (Equal Respect for All Religions)
Sunday 7th September 6.30pm

Also available via Zoom live-stream ( ID: 856 6301 7127 | Pass: 019219 )

Activities of Leicester Secular Society

29/08/2025

🌈 The Leicester Secular Society will have a stall at Leicester Pride in Abbey Park this Saturday, from 12–6 pm! 🎉

Come find us, look out for our banners, and stop by to say hello — we’d love to see you! ✨

29/08/2025

https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2025/08/defining-islamophobia-will-do-more-harm-than-good

Stephen Evans argues for an end to the obsession with definitions and calls for actions to tackle fundamentalism and the root causes of anti-Muslim hate instead. Read More »

09/08/2025

The Society has again booked a stall at the Mela in Abbey Park (
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August, opening at noon on both days). We will be sharing with the Asian Rationalist Society of Britain - South Asian Rationalists UK .