Society

Interview with Alaa Al Aswany

''We're Still at the Beginning''

Alaa Al Aswany qualified as a dentist, but is better known to the world as the best-selling author of The Yacoubian Building and one of the spokespersons of the "Kifaya" protest movement. In this interview, he tells Thomas Kohlmann that the revolution on Tahrir Square, of which he was a part, will continue and that it is really only at the beginning
By Thomas Kohlmann
Review of Michael Lüders' book on the Arab Spring

How the Arab Revolution Is Changing the World

In his book about the Arab Spring, the well-known Middle East expert and journalist Michael Lüders criticises the West's one-dimensional view of the historic events that have shaken the Arab world over the past year. Sebastian Sons read the book
By Sebastian Sons
Journalists with Headscarves in Morocco

Kept under Cover

In Morocco, too, more and more women are entering the labour market. Many of them wear a headscarf. However, there seems to be an unwritten law in Moroccan radio and television that women wearing headscarves are not allowed to be employed there.
By Siham Ouchtou
Standing up to Discrimination against Muslims

Know Your Rights!

Since 2010, a Berlin-based network has dedicated itself to opposing discrimination against Muslims by providing information and legal advice to the Muslim community. As Sabine Ripperger has been finding out, Muslims are often unaware that discrimination is illegal in Germany
By Sabine Ripperger
Debate about Sharia and Democracy

A Western Misconception

Sharia is a collection of norms that can be interpreted in many ways – either for or against democracy. Islamist parties are not per se opposed to democracy, writes the renowned scholar of Islam, Mathias Rohe in his commentary
By Mathias Rohe
''Euro-Islam''

Too Diverse to Domesticate

Since 9/11, Europe has been debating whether the principles of Islam are compatible with European culture and values. Could ‘Bosnian Islam’ be the model? Or should Europe avoid trying to domesticate Islam altogether?
By Zoran Arbutina
Post-graduate Programme on Islamic Theology

''Muslim Theologians are Instigators of Change''

Islamic theology is still a very new academic discipline at German universities. It is hoped that a new nationwide post-graduate programme will boost its development, lead to increased representation of Muslims in Germany, and lay the groundwork for the training of state schoolteachers of Islam. As Christoph Dreyer reports, expectations are high all round
By Christoph Dreyer
Jerusalem's 'Tolerance Museum'

The Middle East Conflict Fought Out on an Ancient Muslim Cemetery

Arab, Israeli, and Western archaeologists demand the cancelation of plans to build a Tolerance Museum in Jerusalem – a project that has already been hotly debated for years. Joseph Croitoru reports
By Joseph Croitoru
Interview with the Saudi Arabian Blogger Ahmed al Omran

''You Cannot Copy and Paste a Revolution''

Ahmed al Omran is one of Saudi Arabia's most popular bloggers. In this interview with Benno Müchler, he explains why people in Saudi Arabia do not have an inclination to revolt, and assesses the prospects for political reform in the country
By Benno Müchler
Kurdish Language Studies in Turkey

A Radical Change in Quiet Stages

The walls may be ancient, but the students are young: the Zinciriye Madrasa in Mardin already offers a Masters in Kurdish Language and Culture and is now to start offering a Bachelors programme. It's a quiet but remarkable change in the Turkish university system. Sonja Galler reports
By Sonja Galler
Dialogue between Religions in Indonesia

On the Interdenominational Construction Site of Humanity

For the past 20 years, the Indonesian NGO DIAN/Interfidei has been engaged in interdenominational dialogue. The organization has also tried to include atheists, Confucians, and even fundamentalists in its activities – with various degrees of success. Anett Keller reports from Yogyakarta
By Anett Keller
The Islamization of Indonesian Media

Hostage to the Tyranny of the Majority

Indonesia enjoys a democratically elected government, yet social pressure on the country's media to adopt conservative Islamic positions is steadily growing. Observations and an assessment by Andy Budiman
By Andy Budiman