Society

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
Maliha Zulfacar, Afghanistan's Ambassador to Germany

"People in Afghanistan Need More Tangible Changes"

Maliha Zulfacar is one of two female Afghan ambassadors. In this interview with Martin Gerner, she talks about her unusual career, as well as about NATO's military strategy, and the reconstruction process in Afghanistan
First Female Governor in an Afghanistan Province

Enthusiastic Support, Heavy Criticism for Habiba Sorabi

President Karzai has named Habiba Sorabi Governor of the Province of Bamian. The appointment has been welcomed in the West, but in traditional Afghan society her appointment is highly controversial. By Said Musa Samimy
Sufis in Germany

In Step with Everyday Life

The Naqshbandi community of faith in Germany's Eifel Mountains preaches neither a one-sided orthodox creed, nor a cloistered spiritual existence. Thilo Guschas paid them a visit
Tülay Tugcu

President of the Turkish Constitutional Court

For the first time in Turkish history, a woman has been elected to hold the highest judicial position in the country. The predominately male high court judges elected 63-year-old Tülay Tugcu as their President. Yesim Kasap reports
Interview with Angelika Neuwirth

"The Koran – A Book in Many Languages"

Angelika Neuwirth is one of Germany's most renowned Koran experts. In this interview with Kurt Scharf, she talks about the aesthetic dimension of the Koran, the trouble with translating sacred texts, and the notion of "inlibration"
Sufi Traditions in Northern Africa

Mysticism as a Means of Fighting Religious Extremism

Politicians in the Maghreb nations are re-discovering Sufi Islam and its brotherhoods as an effective means of combating religious extremism. Beat Stauffer reports
German Islam Converts

Islam as an Alternative?

The number of Germans converting Islam is on the rise. According to figures released by the Islam-Archive Central Institute, a record number of Christians have converted to Islam since September 11, 2001. Aslan Khassan and Rizki Nugraha report
Interview with Nikola Tietze

Franco-German Perspectives

The sociologist Nikola Tietze has been studying forms of Muslim identity in Germany and France. Susan Javad spoke to her about the different ways of approaching Islam in the two countries