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The Struggle for Islam

The Islamic world urgently needs reform initiatives, says the Lebanese scholar of Islam Ridwan al-Sayyid. Wolfgang G. Schwanitz has read al-Sayyid's latest book "The Struggle for Islam" and says it should also be studied in the West

The US-Led Democratization Project Has a Credibility Problem

Half a year past schedule, the third Arab Human Development Report has now been published. The US government had tried to stop its publication. Sonja Hegasy takes a look behind the scenes

The Internet: A New and Liberating Medium

In Iran, many journalists discover the Internet as a liberating new medium. Various online magazines are able to publish without any major restrictions. This, however, might change in the near future.

Iran: Anomymity of the Internet Fosters Freedom of Expression

According to a current report by “Reporters Without Borders”, Iran is still “the biggest journalists’ jail in the Middle East”. Nonetheless, some journalists are optimistic – thanks to the Internet.

Europe Cannot Afford to Reject Turkey!

One issue in the European election campaign will be Turkey's interest in joining the EU. In spite of conservative fears, Europe cannot afford to reject Turkey. A commentary by Baha Güngör

Getting Cross with “Der Spiegel”

A week after the German Federal Constitutional Court pronounced its ruling in the “headscarf debate”, Germany’s leading weekly magazine Der Spiegel devoted its feature article on Muslims in Germany. Katajun Amirpur read the Spiegel for Qantara.de.

Development Cooperation as Conflict Management

The German government aims to realise a development project by 2006 in Syria. At the top of the project's agenda is the peaceful use of the contended water supplies of the River Euphrates by both Syria and Turkey. Richard Fuchs reports

EU-Turkey Project Hardly Realistic

Negotiations for Turkey's possible entry to the European Union are rocky even before they have started. Baha Güngör believes that the EU-Turkey project doesn't have a realistic chance

Egypt – Hopelessness, Frustration Spawning a New Generation of Terrorists

The recent terrorist attacks in Cairo have raised many questions about the motivations of the assassins. Nelly Youssef speaks with Nabil Abdel Fatah, a scholar at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo

Against Torture and Sexist Violence

Since its founding in 1993, the Nadim Center has documented cases of torture in Egypt and offers help to victims and surviving dependants. At the same time it has become a refuge for female victims of domestic violence. By Martina Sabra