Society

Conflict Prevention in Lebanon

Learning Peace

In this country of ethical and religious conflicts, rival parties have come together for the first time to learn peaceful conflict resolution at a workshop organized by a Beirut NGO. Christina Förch reports
New Curriculum in Turkey

Revolutionizing the Classroom

The EU is working hand in hand with the Turkish government to completely change the way children are taught. The days of discipline and memorization - or chalk and talk - are finally coming to an end. By Dorian Jones
"Intercultural Mainstreaming"

A Plea for the Intercultural Opening of Society

The institutions of "highbrow culture" in Germany have hitherto hardly recognised the fact that the composition of society has changed, writes Mark Terkessidis in his commentary
Islam in the Media

How Media Researchers Draw Hasty Conclusions

Many studies dealing with the representation of Islam in Western media come to the conclusion that there is a tendency to portray Islam in a negative way. Klemens Ludwig doubts whether they all adhere to scientific criteria
Media Influence

The Framed World

In this age of global media, foreign countries and events are only viewed through a small frame that obscures everything else. Charlotte Wiedemann files this report about working as a foreign correspondent and the way we perceive the rest of the world
Islam Lessons at German Schools

"We Pretend You're a Church"

Because Germany's Muslims don't have a central institution to represent them, it is difficult to organise Islam lessons at German schools. One primary school has got round this problem with a clever trick, as Christiane Hawranek reports
Islam in the Media

Suppressing the Positive Aspects of Muslim Life

Kai Hafez and Carola Richter, both specialists in the field of communications studies, have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the image of Islam presented by Germany's public broadcasting companies. Sabine Schiffer took a critical look at their study
Women in Islam

Between Oppression and (Self-) Empowerment

At a two-day conference organised by the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation, women's organisations from Europe, the Middle East and Africa met to talk about their work and discuss the role of Islam in their own societies. Abdul-Ahmad Rashid listened in
Commentary on the Founding of the Council of Ex-Muslims

Good Converts, Bad Converts

Although the right to renounce a religious affiliation must be protected, when people leave the faith as an organized campaign and turn their decision into a political issue, they foster neither dialogue nor coexistence, in the opinion of Peter Philipp
The Founding of the Central Council of Ex-Muslims

Mission of the Reformed

The recently founded Central Council of Ex-Muslims sees itself as a platform for anyone who wishes to officially renounce their Islam faith. The initiators also reportedly want to increase society's awareness of certain taboo subjects. Abdul-Ahmad Rashid reports from Germany
"Kanal Avrupa"

Television as a Bridge

"Kanal Avrupa" is a Turkish television station founded in Germany a few years ago offering a diverse program primarily for the Turkish community in Germany. Now the station will be adding a German-language program. Alexandra Jarecki reports
Learning about Cultural Diversity

Mind the North-South Gap

In 2004, Traugott Schöfthaler was appointed to set up the Anna Lindh Foundation in Alexandria, Egypt, in order to create new forms of dialogue between North and South. In this article he takes a look at the lessons learnt during the past three years