Al Jazeera Documentary

as traditional religious frameworks lose influence in parts of the West, what is taking their place?

Sugar is sweet, seductive, addictive - but built on human suffering. This feature-length reveals how an enticing luxury became the engine of a global system powered by slavery, exploitation and environmental destruction, a legacy still shaping the world today. From the 19th-century slave plantations to modern refineries in the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Reunion, India, South Africa and Europe, the series traces how sugar fuelled colonial empires, drove some of the worst aspects of international trade and commerce, and left deep social and ecological scars that are still present in labour abuses and exhausted landscapes today. Combining powerful testimony, rare archival material, expert interviews, and on-the-ground reporting, the series exposes the true cost of our centuries-long obsession with sugar, while at the same time spotlighting communities fighting to reclaim land, dignity and fair means of production. The series asks a crucial question: have we ever really escaped the bitter curse behind the world’s sweetest commodity?

Dr. John Esposito explores Islam's influence on the US with Soraya Salam. They discuss a variety of topics ranging from the reasons behind Dr. Esposito's passionate interest in Islam, his time advising US President Joe Biden when he was a senator, the Muslim origins of some of the most common traditions in Europe and the US, and the globalisation of islamophobia.

Dr. John Esposito is a distinguished university professor at Georgetown University. He's a founding director of the Al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. He's also authored over 50 books on religion, Islam, and Islamophobia.

Dr. Dalia Fahmy discusses what is it like to be a Muslim in the US, with Sami Zeidan. What form of discrimination are Muslims facing? How is islamophobia being used for political gain? And is there a role for Muslims to play to combat islamophobia?.

Dr. Dalia Fahmy is an associate professor of political science at Long Island university. She is well published on the effects of Islamophobia on US foreign policy and American identity in politics. She is also a prominent personality speaking out against prejudice and islamophobia in the US and beyond.

Former Catholic nun and author Karen Armstrong shares her perspective on Islam from her years of research with Al Jazeera's Samantha Johnson. Karen Armstrong is a renown religious historian and best-selling author whose work has been translated into 45 languages. Armstrong has been described as one of the most intelligent contemporary defenders of religion.