Society

Edward Said's "Orientalism"

The Orient beyond Cliché

The Palestinian-American literary scholar Edward Said (1935 – 2003) is required reading for anyone talking about Islam today. His main work, Orientalism, recently came out in a new German translation. Stefan Weidner read it for Qantara.de
Cultural Dialogue

Peaceful Social Change Is Possible

Development policy needs to take a stand in the debate on basic rights, integration and religion, argues Christian von Haldenwang. Western values should be discussed while taking other views and cultures into account
Muslim Life in Germany

Integration Beats Segregation

The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees study "Muslim Life in Germany" shows that Muslims are better integrated than is commonly assumed. There are still deficits, however, in school education and educational social mobility. Sonja Haug sums up the findings
José Casanova: "Europe's Fear of Religion"

Secularism on the Test-Bed

The sociologist José Casanova confronts the paradigm that secularisation is a prerequisite for open and tolerant societies. In 'Europas Angst vor der Religion' (Europe's Fear of Religion) he calls for an end to the strict division between faith and politics. A review by Lewis Gropp
Blogging in Iran

The Electronic Manifestation of Persian Thought

In spite of government filtering, low bandwidth connections, prosecution of the bloggers, and other social and technological problems, the Persian blogosphere has been able to thrive into a community of people with different social and political opinions and fields of interest. By Arash Kamangir
Interview with Heiner Bielefeldt

"The Hard Core of Islamophobia Is Racist"

A ban on the burqa is possible, but a ban on the construction of minarets is unlawful, says the former director of the German Institute for Human Rights, Heiner Bielefeldt. He also considers the "hard core of Islamophobia" to be racist. Christian Rath sends us this interview
Interview with the Historian Michael Borgolte

"Islam Was Always Part of Europe"

Present-day Muslim immigration is returning Europe to its former historical state: the continent was a place of religious plurality from late antiquity on. Ralph Bollmann spoke to the historian Michael Borgolte about the history of Muslims in Europe
Arabic Blogs in Crisis

Over-estimated Agents of Change

What can blogs really achieve? Is too much expected of them? How can they make a difference? Mohammed Sahli, Moroccan blogger and organiser of the Arabic Blog Awards, talks about the development of the Arabic blogosphere, its future and the social role of blogs
Women's Rights in India

The Constitution Can Wait

India does not have a uniform civil code regulating family relationships. The religion of the parties determines which law governs the rights and obligations of a family's members, a situation that, according to Ved Kumari, professor of Law at the University of Delhi, upholds the inequality of the sexes
The Monastery "Deir Mar Musa" in Syria

A Haven for Spirituality and Dialogue

The monastery "Deir Mar Musa" in the desert between Lebanon and Syria is an attraction for believers from all over the world. The convent is an oasis of intercultural and interreligious understanding. Stephen Starr reports from Syria
Islamic Dietary Laws in Practice

Halal for All

It's not easy to eat a purely halal diet. Muslim consumers in Germany have to be well informed and sometimes accept compromises. There are now halal seals of approval, but it is still almost impossible to avoid traces of pork in food products. By Ute Hempelmann
Cairo's Townhouse Gallery

Nerve Centre for Egypt's Young Art Scene

The Townhouse in the centre of Cairo, opened by the Canadian William Wells in 1998, has grown into an established magnet for artists, but also for children, families and refugees. Amira El Ahl has the details