Society
Topics
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Muslims in BritainSeeking to Combat Extremism
The brutal killing of Lee Rigby in London in May by two Muslim converts was widely condemned by Muslim religious leaders, but still led to a rise in threats made against Muslims and mosques. Many Muslims in Britain, however, work to try and counter extremism. Joanna Impey reports
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Islamic environmentalismThe call to eco-jihad
Gradually – and unnoticed by most Muslims – Muslim intellectuals and scholars have, since the late 1960s, been developing an Islamic environmental theology. Their aim is to examine green principles such as sustainability, environmental protection, animal welfare, and biodiversity in terms of their compatibility with Islam. By Monika Zbidi
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Muslims in GermanyNice and Mild Sharia
Muslims should engage and transform this society. This would require them, however, to overcome the fear of being liked by some. Or is the only good Muslim a rejected Muslim? An essay by Charlotte Wiedemann
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Muslims in Liberal DemocraciesWhy the West Fears Islam
Harvard professor and Islam expert Jocelyne Cesari looks into the mechanisms of the West's fear of Islam, and ponders on how the dominant narrative that tends to present Islam as an alien religion can be countered
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Interfaith Partnerships in GermanyCultural Diversity as an Enrichment
In light of the increasing cultural and religious diversity in society, interfaith partnerships are nowadays no longer a rarity. How do these couples experience everyday life together and how to they deal with each other's different culture, traditions, and value systems? Julie Schwannecke provides some insight
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The Dialogue LexiconChristianity and Islam on Equal Terms
The Eugen Biser Foundation in Munich and the Islamic-Theological Faculty at the University of Ankara have published a joint lexicon of basic terms from Christianity and Islam. The reference text in German and Turkish provides, for the first time, a parallel presentation of two monotheistic religions in one work. By Claudia Mende
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Turkish Victims of the NSU Murders in GermanyA Victim's Daughter Testifies
When she appears in court, Gamze Kubasik will testify in the presence of those accused of killing her father. She hopes for composure. She also seeks justice and a sense of "inner peace" that vanished in April 2006. Andrea Grunau reports
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Oriental Christians in GermanyProviding a Diplomatic Bridge
A new central council of oriental Christians has been formed in Germany to raise public awareness of the problems Arab Christians are facing in conflict-ridden countries like Syria, Egypt and Iraq. Günther Birkenstock reports
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The Democratic Process in EgyptThe Success of Democracy is Not a Question of Education
Although she recognises the dangers inherent in an uneducated society, Egyptian author Mansoura Ez-Eldin disputes the political belief that it takes a learned population to create a democracy. The problem is more a fundamental lack of political education and a poor understanding of democratic principles at all levels
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Mona El-Naggar on Her Film "Istislam"Close-Up on the Muslim Brotherhood's Grassroots Work
Mona El-Naggar's documentary "Submission" offers an astonishingly close look at how the long-time secret organization conveys its ideology at the grassroots level and among Egypt's youth in particular. An interview with the film's director, Mona El-Naggar, by Martina Sabra
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TurkeyGrowing Popularity of Islamic Banks
Can religious faith, God and money ever be brought into a harmonious co-existence? Yes, they can, say the acolytes of Islamic banking. Islamic banks are becoming ever more popular in Turkey, even if not everyone is particularly enthusiastic about the development.
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Open Letter to a Border GuardDefending Our Borders against the Scum
In Germany, helpers of Syrian refugees are being put on trial. These lifesavers are being treated like enemies of the state. In his polemic, Stefan Buchen addresses a German border guard and encourages him to prevent the misery of the Syrian civil war from spilling over into Europe