Society

Interview with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"We Must Not Disparage Another Faith"

Desmond Tutu was one of the twenty spiritual and political leaders from around the globe who compiled a United Nations report on the assumed divide between the West and the Muslim world. Peter Philipp talked to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate about the report's outcome
Mehdi Bazargan

And Jesus Is His Prophet

Mehdi Bazargan, the first Prime Minister of the provisional government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and leader of the Liberation Movement of Iran, has compiled a book of statements made in the Koran about Christianity in order to promote understanding between Muslims and Christians. By Tagrid Yousef
Interview with Hans-Günter Gnodtke

The Secret of Foreign Cultural Policy

In 2005, Hans-Günter Gnodtke was appointed German Federal Foreign Office Commissioner for the Dialogue with the Islamic World. In this interview with Larissa Bender, he talks about his concept of soft power diplomacy
Commentary by Zafer Senocak

Creating Trust with Cultural Policy

Turning Europe into a fortress is not the answer to providing greater security. Instead, we have to promote cultural exchange – both at home and with Islamic countries. By Zafer Senocak
Interview with Hans Joas

"Tolerance in and of Itself Doesn't Change Anything"

Tolerance doesn't augment our knowledge of another's values, says Hans Joas, dean of the Max Weber Centre for Cultural and Social Sciences, Germany. Volker Maria Neuman spoke to Joas about the logic of the communication of values, the Middle East conflict, and the Clash of Civilizations
Debates on Religion and Democracy in Iran

Islamic Reformers Are Meeting Opposition

A controversy in religious theory between two Muslim scholars, Abdolkarim Sorush and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, throws an interesting light on the divisions between conservative and reformist forces in Islam. Faraj Sarkohi says the two sides are taking increasingly irreconcilable positions
Interview with Saida Garrache

Between Authoritarianism and Islamism

Tunisian lawyer and feminist Saida Garrache has been General Secretary of the "Tunisian Association of Democratic Women" since mid-2006. Martina Sabra spoke to her about the difficulties entailed by her work in a state that tries to stifle all the activities of civil society
Arab Satellite Media

Al-Jazeera – The Enigma from Qatar

On 1 November 1996 the Arab news network al-Jazeera started broadcasting from Qatar. Its bold news coverage sent shockwaves through the Arab world, and soon became the target of stinging criticism from both Western and Arab governments. By Larissa Bender
Headscarf Debate in Great Britain

Two Types of Veiling

The issue of veiling does not seem to disappear from public discourse in Great Britain. Do veils oppress or liberate? It depends on why you're wearing one, argues David Shariatmadari
Integrating Islam in Europe

Tolerance Cannot Be Based on Fear

In order to successfully integrate Muslims, European societies have to demand that they embrace the principle of religious freedom. However, this also entails a strict separation of church and state in Europe, writes Paul Scheffer in his essay
Microcredits for Alleviating Poverty

The New Star on the Development Horizon

The idea of "microcredits", developed by this year's Nobel Peace prize winner, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, is gaining in popularity. Especially for women from the third world, these credits have often paved the way to a better future. By Elefteriya Yuanidis
Migrants from Senegal

If You Don't Make It, It's Your Own Fault

There is a strong incentive for many Senegalese to come to Europe illegally. Even if they are only able to keep their heads above water with minimum-wage jobs, migration is still a success story for many of them. Moritz Behrendt explains why

Society

Topics

"We Must Not Disparage Another Faith"

And Jesus Is His Prophet

The Secret of Foreign Cultural Policy

Creating Trust with Cultural Policy

"Tolerance in and of Itself Doesn't Change Anything"

Islamic Reformers Are Meeting Opposition

Between Authoritarianism and Islamism

Al-Jazeera – The Enigma from Qatar

Two Types of Veiling

Tolerance Cannot Be Based on Fear

The New Star on the Development Horizon

If You Don't Make It, It's Your Own Fault

Most read articles

A bride for the summer

A vivid record of life before the war

'The idea of male dominance is in crisis'

"We all live in the shadow of the revolution"

There is no one single answer

Demonised and eternally misunderstood