Society

Erasmus Prize 2004

Important Figures from the Islamic World Awarded

This year's Erasmus Prize, which is endowed with € 150,000, goes to Sadik Al-Azm, Fatema Mernissi and Abdulkarim Soroush. Martina Sabra spoke to laureate Al-Azm, who currently teaches in Antwerp, Belgium.
Germany

The Struggle against Forced Marriage

Each year, according to UN studies, more than one million people are forced into marriage – and for many years now, Berlin-based lawyer Seyran Ates has been fighting to increase the German public's awareness of the issue. Sigrid Dethloff reports.
Polygamy

The Second Wife Is Also Allowed to Stay

Muslim second wives often fall through the cracks in the legal system. But now a court in Germany has granted an Iraqi second wife a residence permit – for humanitarian reasons. By Cosima Schmitt
Islam in South Africa

Coming out of the Shadows

Having been part of South African culture since the beginning of the 18th century, Muslims are increasingly engaging in public life since the end of the Apartheid regime in 1994. Almuth Schellpeper reports from Bo-Kaap, the Muslim quarter of Cape Town.
Germany

The Gas Station Singer

A service station in an industrial area of Münster couldn't be farther away from Ghana. For Bawa Abudu, it's a place where he can earn enough to feed his family - at least until the money matches his music's acclaim. By Guy Degan
Globalisation

Arab Knowledge Society Will Need Civil Rights

The debate on education and human rights initiated by the Arab Human Development Report is continuing. The Middle East countries need reforms if they do not want to miss the boat on globalisation. Germany is regarded as a trustworthy partner. By Hans Dembowski
Algeria

A Protest against Discrimination

For twenty years Algerian family law has disadvantaged women to the benefit of men, giving women a lifetime status equivalent to minors. Algerian women have now begun a campaign at home and abroad called "Twenty years are enough" – "Vingt ans barakat". By Martina Sabra
Reformist Islam

For an Open Interpretation of the Koran

The reformist thinker and philosopher Abdolkarim Sorush is one of a new generation of theologians that openly speaks out in favour of human rights and secularism in Iran. Katajun Amirpur about an awkward Iranian intellectual.
September 11

Book Casts Terrorist in Unexpected Light

A new book by a U.S. journalist on Mohammed Atta, allegedly the pilot of the first plane that flew into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, reveals a man hooked on drugs and alcohol while living in Florida.
UNESCO Peace Prize

Award for Cardinal Etchegaray and Mufti Ceric

The Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mustafa Ceric and the Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Etchegaray were chosen as laureates of the 2003 UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize.
Asia

Women in Inherited Positions of Power

From Indira Ghandi to the Indonesian head of state Megawati, in Asia many women play leading roles in politics. Does this mean that women have more political power in Asia than in other countries? Sybille Golte doubts this is the case.
Germany

Islam on the Curriculum

Until now, only Koran schools have offered lessons in the Islamic religion to Muslim children in Germany. Now, pilot programmes are to be carried out at German schools, too. Max Bönnemann reports