Society

Islam and violence

Conservative Muslims refute the violence of IS

Does Islamic theology have the argumentative resources to counter the claim that violence perpetrated in the name of Islam is covered by verses from the Koran? Yes, says the Islam expert Katajun Amirpur, pointing to an open letter from Muslim scholars
By Katajun Amirpur
Women's rights in the Indonesian province of Aceh

"The population is being systematically silenced"

Azriana Rambe Manalu, 46, and Samsidar, 48, are two of the best-known women in Aceh. In this interview with Christina Schott, they talk about how the introduction of Sharia in Aceh in 2003 has affected society – and women in particular
By Christina Schott
Book review: "Cairo. Open City" by Florian Ebner and Constanze Wicke

The power of images

The illustrated book "Cairo. Open City. New Testimonies from an Ongoing Revolution" by Florian Ebner and Constanze Wicke casts a critical eye over the media portrayal of the Egyptian revolution. Shohreh Karimian reviews the publication
By Shohreh Karimian
Afghan idioms and proverbs

"The arrival of the king leads to the downfall of the village"

Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic nation with language rich in idioms and proverbs. These are an integral element of the country's culture, although less familiar to young Afghans these days. The German-Afghan Noor Nazrabi has collected many idioms and published a reference book in German and Dari. Kathrin Erdmann met the author
By Kathrin Erdmann
The death of Abdelwahab Meddeb

A proponent of disloyal loyalty

The renowned Tunisian-French writer and Islam expert Abdelwahab Meddeb died of cancer in Paris on 6 November 2014. He was 68. Obituary by Bettina David
By Bettina David
Interview with Egyptian philosopher Hassan Hanafi

From Velvet Spring to military despotism

Renowned Egyptian philosopher Hassan Hanafi believes it is too early to declare the Arab Spring revolutions a failure. In an interview with Moncef Slimi, he explains why fundamental religious reforms are now necessary in the Arab world
By Moncef Slimi
Sixty years since the beginning of the Algerian war

National fronts?

The Algerian War began 60 years ago. Some eight years later, a new Arab nation came about – and a million Algerians of French origin fled to France. The recent successes of the extreme-right Front National have made these "pieds-noirs" a political factor again, as the fronts of the Algerian War retain contemporary relevance. By Jakob Krais
By Jakob Krais
Women's dress code in Islam

No compulsion to wear the headscarf

The Becharis, a Moroccan family from Frankfurt am Main, place great emphasis on respect and tolerance, an attitude that is illustrated by the fact that mother and daughter each accept that the other has chosen a different path when it comes to the issue of the headscarf. By Canan Topcu
By Canan Topçu
Culturally sensitive care for the elderly

A little bit of home in an adopted country

A number of German retirement homes have discovered that the cultural diversity of their residents and staff is a bonus: people from a number of different cultures can live and work together very happily under one roof. Annalena Junggeburth visited the Haus Andreas retirement home, which is run by the Clarenbachwerk social welfare service in Cologne
By Annalena Junggeburth
Syrian anti-war video "To Our Countries"

Embarrassing media hype

Syrian sisters Faia and Rihan Younan, residents of Sweden since 2003, have triggered a global hype with their peace song "To Our Countries". While western media reaction to the video has been for the most part enthusiastic, the response in the Arab world has been one of scorn. By Martina Sabra
By Martina Sabra
The culture and faith of the Yazidis

Demonised and eternally misunderstood

Their persecution by Islamic State has put the Yazidis in the international spotlight. In her book on the Yazidis, Birgul Acikyildiz provides insights into the culture and faith of this endangered community. By Ulrich von Schwerin
By Ulrich von Schwerin
Independent media in Syria

Flourishing despite the violence

The vibrant alternative media landscape that has developed in the rebel-controlled areas of Syria in recent years is a thorn in the side of both the Assad regime and the radical Islamists. By Joseph Croitoru
By Joseph Croitoru