In most of the world, poetry has such a different reputation than it does in Western culture. Poetry is a popular genre in Afghanistan. If you turned on the radio, there would be a poetry program that would be as popular as The Real Housewives. People aren't listening to poetry as if they're taking their vitamins. Instead, it's a popular vessel you can fill with anything. You could fill it with sass. You could fill it with rage. You could fill it with political statements.

The truth is, terrorism flourishes in places of injustice rather than in places of poverty.

I worked with two young women translators. One died and the other received a death threat from the Taliban.

In most of the world, poetry has such a different reputation than it does in Western culture.

News isn't designed to talk about daily life in its nuances, but poetry is.

I was examining what religious identity meant in Africa. Along the edge of the Islamic world, what patterns were shaping identity? And the truth is, when I looked at the rise of violent forms of religion, no single identity was prevalent. It's central to note that in Nigeria, that tree is rooted primarily in Christianity. It's not just Islamic militants in the Middle Belt.

It's important to understand that violent Islam is only one face of violent religion.