Author: Canan Topçu

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Fatma Aliye on Turkey's new 50 lira bank note

International Women's Day

Fatma Aliye, pioneering women's rights under the Ottomans

The fight for women's rights around the world continues. Fatma Aliye, Turkey's first female novelist and a pioneer of women's rights in the Ottoman Empire, is a figure who deserves greater recognition. By Canan TopcuMore

Islamic fashion magazine ''Ala'' from Turkey: Hijab and high heelsThe Istanbul Convention and women's protection: Bombing the heart of the family in Turkey?Qantara dossier: Women in Turkey
Journalist and author Ferda Ataman (photo: private)

Non-fiction: Ferda Atamanʹs "Iʹm from here. Stop asking!"

Less strident, more empathetic, please!

"I'm from here. Stop asking!" is the title of a recently published book in German by journalist Ferda Ataman. It contains quite a lot of appeals, summarises the latest debates on migration – and ignores the problems faced by an open society. By Canan TopcuMore

Non-fiction: Aladin El-Mafaalani's "Das Integrationsparadox": Demanding a seat at the tableThe integration litmus test: Success for some means failure for othersIntegration in Germany: Finally growing up
Islamic scholar and managing director of the AIWG, Jan Felix Engelhardt, during the 2018 AIWG doctoral students′ forum (photo: Dilruba Kam)

Germany′s Academy for Islam in Research and Society

Filling a void in the discourse

Germany's Academy for Islam in Research and Society took up its work one year ago. Its mission is to promote Islamic theological research and to provide a sound factual basis for the public discourse on Islam. By Canan TopcuMore

Official website of the AIWG – Academy for Islam in Research and SocietyIslamic theology in Germany: Spanning the divideQantara dossier: "Islamic theology in Germany"
Theologian Dina El Omari (photo: private)

Interview with Dina El Omari on feminism and Islam

"Muslim women need space for critical self-reflection"

Is there such a thing as a feminist Islam? If there is, it is hard to define. Instead, there are different interpretations and above all female Muslim theologians who do not use the term "feminism" to describe what they do, namely interpret the Koran in a gender-equal way. An interview with theologian Dina El OmariMore

Women′s rights in Islam: Can feminism be Islamic?Islam and feminism: Go forth and create role models! Copenhagen′s mosque led by women: When the muezzina calls
Anti-AfD demonstration (photo: dpa)

Germany′s election result

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Facing down the AfD: We shall not be moved!

There can be no alternative to a pluralist society – whether the AfD accepts it or not! Now is the time to stand up for democracy and resist the right-wingers and racists. Commentary by Canan TopcuMore

Merkel faces tricky coalition talks, hard-right 'earthquake'Right-wing populism in Europe: Take the AfD seriously – or you'll end up like us The rise of right-wing populism in Europe: A continent divided
Muslim woman voting in Berlin during the last general election (photo: Rainer Jensen/dpa)

Germany's general election

Calling all Muslim voters: ″Won′t vote″ won′t wash

Which party should Muslims vote for in the German general election? Should they participate at all? Those who want to make themselves heard and be viewed as equal citizens need to exercise their civil rights. By Canan TopcuMore

Electioneering in the Federal Republic: Courting the immigrant voteMuslims in Germany: The Future Chancellor-MakersAfD seeks to reboot migrant fears: "Germany First!"
Professor Ednan Aslan, professor for Islamic religious education theory at the Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Sciences at the University of Vienna (photo: dpa/picture-alliance)

Controversial study about Muslim kindergartens in Vienna

The unwelcome glare of publicity

According to a report in the Austrian weekly ′Falter′, Professor Ednan Aslan is said to have allowed civil servants working for the Austrian Foreign and Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz to manipulate his findings for political ends. Allegations he vehemently denies. A commission has now been set up to investigate. By Canan TopcuMore

Austria′s president and the Islamophobia debate: The courage of one manThe Islam debate: The dual consciousness of MuslimsInterview with the political scientist Farid Hafez: "An expression of institutional Islamophobia"
German Turkish author Deniz Utlu

Interview with German Turkish author Deniz Utlu

Beyond a binary identity

The German-speaking author Deniz Utlu writes about migration and identity in a way that is at once to the point and poetical. In interview with Canan Topcu, he explains why his Turkish roots seem more important to others than they do to him and how he himself defines his identityMore

Post-migrant literature in Germany: ''The time has come to speak out very, very loudly''Germany and the semantics of exclusion: "We are not burka"The refugee debate: What makes us German?Daughters and Sons of Gastarbeiters writers′ collective: "When I go to Germany, I will buy a red tractor"
Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika (photo: Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main)

Interview with Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika

"Muslims need new ways to approach their religious heritage"

The German Evangelical Church′s relationship with Luther shows Muslims that it′s possible to find and develop a way of engaging critically with your own religious tradition, says Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika in interview with Canan TopcuMore

The Reform Islam debate: Islam doesn′t need a Martin Luther!Islam and religious freedom: Coercion leads to hypocrisyInterview with Maha El-Kaisy-Friemuth: "We urgently need reform within Islam"
Constantin Schreiber (right) during his research into German mosques (photo: ARD)

Constantin Schreiber′s controversial mosque report

Outside Islam

Constantin Schreiber, a German television journalist, conducted research on sermons given in Muslim houses of prayer and used it to produce a book and some TV reports. Now he has come under fire. Schreiber is accused of employing underhand methods and taking a biased approach to his subject. Is there anything in the criticism? Canan Topcu has the answersMore

Islam in Germany: A poor second Germany's Islam debate: For all our freedoms!Racism in Germany: The taint of PEGIDA journalism
American Muslim Hind Makki (photo: Canan Topcu)

Muslims in the USA

Anything but lethargic

The American Muslim Hind Makki works to promote interfaith dialogue in her neighbourhood Bridgeview, known as the "Little Palestine" of Chicago. She observes that in recent times, the Islamic minority's interest in politics has risen sharply – thanks to Trump. By Canan TopcuMore

Islamophobia in the USA: Standing up for Muslim rightsUS presidential elections: Huma Abedin – the woman in the shadowsRight-wing populism in Europe and the USA: The politics of Islamophobia
Islamic theologian Hamideh Mohagheghi (photo: Christian Thuermann)

Interview with the Islamic theologian Hamideh Mohagheghi

We need to talk

With the recent rise in Islamophobia across German – and the wider European – society, the Islamic theologian Hamideh Mohagheghi warns against retreating from the debate. Now is the time for Muslims to practise their faith in confidence, step forward and speak out. Interview by Canan TopcuMore

Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide: ''God is not a dictator''Islamic theology: Turning over a new pageEducation in the Arab world: Stop corrupting the next generation!Qantara dossier: Reform Islam
Mosque congregation member distributes food to refugees (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/H. Neubauer)

Germany′s Muslims and the refugees

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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 sayMore

Debate on Muslim identity in the West: Constructing the self, constructing the otherThe emotional wounds of refugee children: Talking about the unspeakableIntegration in Germany: On the right track - one refugee's story
The Munster-based Islamic Studies expert Mouhanad Khorchide (photo: dpa)

Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide

"Religion seeks to touch people′s hearts"

The new book by Islamic Studies scholar Mouhanad Khorchide argues for a modern understanding of the Koran and considers the relationship between God and humanity. "The Koran aims to bring up mature human beings, who develop their own religious nature", says Khorchide. Interview by Canan TopcuMore

Dispute about Professor Mouhanad Khorchide: A conflict of many layersMouhanad Khorchide's reformist theology: De-politicising the KoranInterview with Mouhanad Khorchide: ''God is not a dictator''
A female student wearing a headscarf (photo: picture-alliance/Joker)

The headscarf ruling from Germany's Constitutional Court

Heated debate on all sides

The headscarf ruling handed down by the Karlsruhe judges on 13 March met with divided reactions. While some are calling it a landmark decision, others see it not as a solution but as a potential source of further problems. Canan Topcu outlines the various positionsMore

Women's dress code in Islam: No compulsion to wear the headscarfStudy on attitudes in "Post-migrant Germany": Do you love Germany?The perception of Islam as the enemy: When fear creeps inBook review: Emel Zeynelabidin's "You grow up only in this life": The headscarf is not a gauge of devoutness
Canan Topcu (centre) speaking during a discussion at the Herbert Quandt Foundation (photo: private)

Muslims and the Paris attacks

"I distance myself from these murderers – not as a Muslim, but as a human being"

Canan Topcu is a freelance journalist with a Muslim background. Following the Paris attacks, she experienced the same knee-jerk reaction that comes after every Islamist act of terrorism: Muslims are called upon to distance themselves from the perpetrators. She finds this irritating and hurtful, especially as Muslims are also victims of Islamist terrorismMore

"Extremist groups want to impose on us a clash of civilisations"Attack on the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo": Do not be deceived!Reactions to the Paris attacks: Religiousness is not the problemFrench reactions to IS terror: "What next? Will we ask Muslims to kneel?"

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