Society

Egypt′s Coptic Church

The cost of a cornerstone

Despite a new law aimed at facilitating the construction of Christian houses of worship, the situation on the ground looks somewhat different. By Flemming Weiss-Andersen, Eva Plesner and Elisabeth Lehmann
By Elisabeth Lehmann
Satirical news website Noktara

A laughing matter

A satirical website by and for German Muslims! Seriously? Well, yes and no. The people behind the German satirical news website Noktara are out to make people laugh and dispel a few cliches. To find out more, Dunja Ramadan spoke to Soufian El Khayari and Derya Sami Saydjari
By Dunja Ramadan
Trump′s plans for the USA

Beware Muslim registration!

Donald Trump′s unashamedly populist election campaign made a point of targeting minorities – among them foreigners, women, the disabled and Muslims. His commitment to the idea of Muslim registration is a sinister echo of 1930s Germany and should put us all on our guard. Commentary by author Fred Amram
By Fred Amram
Omar Saif Ghobash′s ″Letters to a young Muslim″

Seeking the Muslim individual

In a series of essays Omar Saif Ghobash offers a guide for young Muslims to navigate the complex 21st century. Although the book is written in the form of letters to his 15 year-old son Saif, the advice and counsel he offers is appropriate for Muslims of all ages. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi read the book
By Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi
′Nafri′ debate after New Year's Eve in Cologne

In the white bubble

Criticising racist police checks should be a civic duty in Germany. Instead, the critics are now being vilified. A commentary by Daniel Bax.
By Daniel Bax
Moroccan migration expert Hicham Aroud

″Cologne 2015 was a watershed″

Measures introduced since the 2015 New Year's Eve sex attacks in the German city of Cologne have led to greater repression, higher walls and tighter controls. The only ones to benefit are the people traffickers, says Hicham Aroud, an expert for migration and asylum policy based in the Moroccan city of Rabat. Interview by Martina Sabra
By Martina Sabra
The New German Media Makers

″Give everyone a voice″

″Bring more diversity into the media″ is the motto of the New German Media Makers. In interview with Monika Stefanek, their deputy chairman, Chadi Bahouth, explains why the perspective of immigrants gets the short end of the stick in media coverage and how the association aims to change this
By Monika Stefanek
The influence of Iran′s religious foundations

Faith and profit enshrined

Millions of pilgrims visit the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad to be near to the holy man. The tomb is an important economic factor for the city, but at the same time it is the centre of an extensive business em-pire wielding huge influence in Iranian politics. On the political economy of the holy man, by Ulrich von Schwerin
By Ulrich von Schwerin
Muslims in Germany following the Berlin attack

"It's not our fault!"

In the wake of the attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, Muslims are bracing for the next round of accusations. As more details concerning the possible motivation and origin of the perpetrator begin to emerge, Muslims in Germany know what is coming. By Dunja Ramadan
By Dunja Ramadan
Nir Baram: ″In a land beyond the mountains″

Danger in the olive groves

In 2014 and 2015, Israeli author Nir Baram travelled through the occupied territories of the West Bank. Recently published in German as "Im Land der Verzweifelung", his latest book is the chronicle of that journey and of what he saw and heard among the refugees, settlers, Jews, Palestinians and activists living there. By Joseph Croitoru
By Joseph Croitoru
Lesbians in Iran

Between desire and taboo

When one speaks of homosexuals in Iran, it is usually men who are meant. The existence of Iranian lesbians is simply not mentioned, even as the subject of homophobic jokes. But Cupid's arrows also inflame passions among Iranian women – wherever and however they strike. By Shirin Soltani
By Shirin Soltani
Islam in Germany

A poor second

Germany is a secular country, but the German legal framework approves of institutionalised religions in a biased way. The religions must organise themselves according to state standards and those standards are tailored toward the structures of the Christian religion. A commentary by Alexander Goerlach
By Alexander Görlach