Society

Jihadism in Dagestan

A growing problem in the fight against terrorism

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia are known to be hotbeds of Islamist activity. For some time now, many young, radicalised Muslims have been leaving their homes in Europe and northern Africa to join the ranks of radical Islamist groups such as IS. However, little attention has thus far been paid to the number of jihadis coming out of the Russian Republic of Dagestan. By Kiran Nazish in Afghanistan
By Kiran Nazish
Anti-Muslim sentiment in Canada and the US

Playing on people's fears

North America has seen an alarming number of anti-Muslim attacks in recent months. With elections coming up in both Canada and the US in the next two years, Richard Marcus takes a look at the context of these attacks and the reactions to them
By Richard Marcus
Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

A third way, yes, but one that acknowledges the complexity of today's realities

Terrorist attacks, the rise of hate-crimes and extremism threaten the cohesion of European societies. All of these events underline the need for a "third way", one that neither strives for isolation nor promotes animosity. Yet a "third way" must not turn a blind eye to the impact of hate-speech and hate-crimes on the collective conscience of a targeted group. And it has to resist the temptation to exaggerate reality for the sake of its mission. By David Neuwirth
By David Neuwirth
Manifesto published by Muslim intellectuals

For Islam and democracy

Muslim intellectuals have called on their fellow believers to indentify the failures of Muslim societies and develop an Islam for the twenty-first century. Loay Mudhoon believes that Europe should unreservedly support this effort
By Loay Mudhoon
"Women of the Islamic State"

Prisoners of a barbaric system

Marriage at age nine is permitted, working is not; make-up is evil. A new treatise written by female supporters of IS sheds light on the image and role of women in the area controlled by Islamic State. By Prof Susanne Schroeter
By Susanne Schröter
The post-Pegida period

Pegida may be running out of steam, but its ideas live on

The Pegida activists' winter fairy tale is drawing to a close. We owe this not only to the movement's internal disputes and confused agenda, but also to a large number of counter-demonstrations. Civil society is apparently united in opposition to right wing demonstrations. All's well that ends well? Answers from Stefan Weidner
By Stefan Weidner
Religious communities in the Middle East

No to sectarianism; yes to equal citizenship!

The author and media commentator Khaled Hroub believes that Christians, Muslims, Jews and followers of other religions can only live peacefully together in the Middle East if people in these countries stop looking at each other in terms of their faith and start treating everyone – without exception – as citizens with equal rights
By Khaled Hroub
Arabs and Jews in Israel

You can't tear us apart

Israeli society is divided. Most Israeli Arabs and Jews live in separate worlds. Most, but not all. Andrea Backhaus presents three inspiring examples of co-existence in Israel
By Andrea Backhaus
Interview with Gudrun Kramer

Muslims must take a critical look at controversial passages in the Koran

The majority of Muslims are quite rightly resisting attempts by jihadists to co-opt their religion. Yet at the same, both jihadists and their opponents justify their arguments by quoting passages from the Koran. Ulrich von Schwerin spoke to the Islam Studies scholar Gudrun Kramer about the relationship between Islam and violence, the interpretation of the Koran and possible ways of combating jihadism
By Ulrich von Schwerin
Interview with Karen Armstrong

Islamist violence is "in part a product of Western disdain"

Karen Armstrong, British scholar of comparative religion, finds that there is a long and inglorious tradition of distorting Islam in Europe. She criticises the notion that Islam is essentially more violent than Christianity and speaks about the genesis of Western disdain for the Arab world. Interview by Claudia Mende
By Claudia Mende
Photo project "This Place"

A missed opportunity

Twelve international photographers set out to explore Israel and the West Bank through the lenses of their cameras for the photo project "This Place". The aim was to see Israel as a metaphor and to go beyond the stereotypes. According to Felix Koltermann, however, the project makes no more than a marginal contribution to a more profound engagement with the reality of the region
By Felix Koltermann
Muslims and the Paris attacks

European Muslims must speak as one

Islam will continue to be equated with brutality until such time as the Muslims of Europe stand together as a group that not only protects its religiousness, but also projects a positive image of its religion, says Jordanian writer Mousa Barhouma
By Mousa Barhouma