Society

Religion and freedom of expression

The birth of a new theocracy?

Following the Arabellion, controversial pluralistic debates on questions of morality or religion were no longer taboo in Egypt. But such discursive freedom has proved short-lived; the tide has turned. These days, the tone adopted by Egypt's regime is more highly charged with religious rhetoric than ever and the goal is clear: to wrest back control of social discourse. Meanwhile Egypt's justice system is playing along and restricting freedom of expression. Sofian Philip Naceur reports from Cairo
By Sofian Philip Naceur
Trauma therapy in Iraqi Kurdistan

″It is possible to build a peaceful society″

Iraq′s autonomous region of Kurdistan is home to approximately 2 million refugees from various backgrounds and religions. Since 2005, the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights has been providing medical, psychotherapeutic and social support to survivors of torture, persecution and violence. Katja Dombrowski discussed matters with Salah Ahmad, the Foundation′s founder and president
By Katja Dombrowski
Paris: the Jewish-Muslim butcher's shop

The art of tolerant coexistence

As France deals with the aftermath of religiously motivated attacks, a small butcher's shop in Paris employing both Muslims and Jews offers lessons on good interfaith relations. Elizabeth Bryant reports from Paris
By Elizabeth Bryant
Germany′s Muslims and the refugees

Integrating a new generation

What do Muslim migrants who have already lived in Germany for many years think about the recent arrivals and the European refugee crisis? Canan Topcu found out what Afghan, Turkish, Arab and Bosnian migrants in Hesse have to say
By Canan Topçu
″Gershad″ app in Iran

Outmanoeuvring the morality police

A new app is helping Iranians circumvent the country’s strict authorities. No sooner was the Gershad app launched, however, than the Islamic republic outlawed its use. By Jessie Wingard
By Jessie Wingard
Urban appropriation in Jerusalem

Mamilla and the Tower of David

The Jerusalem district of Mamilla, located between West Jerusalem and the Old City, is an outstanding example of how urban planning decisions alter the public space and create a new visual reality with great political resonance. Felix Koltermann took a look around
By Felix Koltermann
Reconstruction of Aleppo

″Others destroy and we rebuild″

The battle-torn city of Aleppo lies in ruins. Nonetheless, former residents of the city and experts located in Budapest are already working towards the reconstruction of the 5000 year old metropolis. By Iris Mostegel
By Iris Mostegel
Interview with the Islam scholar Ahmad Milad Karimi

Accessing the Koran

Ahmad Milad Karimi is one of Germany′s most dynamic philosophers of religion. Having come to the country as a refugee when he was a child, he is now helping to establish an Islamic philosophy of religion and has produced a new translation of the Koran. His main concern is to break down the foreignness of Islam
By Ruth Renée Reif
Afghan refugees in Pakistan

Underprivileged and unwanted

Pakistan has the second-largest refugee population in the world and the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) is growing too. The country is fighting internal militants and facing huge challenges. Islamabad is struggling to live up to its domestic and international obligations. By Waqqas Mir
By Waqqas Mir
Sexualised violence against women

A feminism of new alliances

When misogyny is permitted to take the anti-Islamic fast lane: a contribution to the debate by Charlotte Wiedemann
By Charlotte Wiedemann
The Avicenna scholarship programme

Cosmopolitan and female

Avicenna is the first state-sponsored Muslim scholarship programme in Germany. It supports gifted and socially-committed students of all disciplines. Report by Arnd Zickgraf
By Arnd Zickgraf
Fighting jihadism

The fatal attraction of IS

In seeking to explain the rise of terrorist militia such as IS, we must look beyond school curricula, Friday sermons and religious texts, argues the Jordanian political scientist Mohammad Abu Rumman
By Mohammad Abu Rumman