Author: Daniel Bax

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Temple Mount in Jerusalem (photo: Getty Images/AP)

Joseph Croitoru's "Al-Aqsa oder Tempelberg"

Zeroing in on the Middle East conflict

In his latest book – "Al Aqsa oder Tempelberg " – historian Joseph Croitoru traces the struggle for Jerusalem's most holy sites, warning that a storm is brewing in the Temple Mount conflict. Daniel Bax read the book for Qantara.deMore

A sacred site in Jerusalem: The new SaladinInterview with the Israeli historian Tom Segev ″United Jerusalem is a myth″Maya Zinshtein's documentary "'Til Kingdom Come": How America's Evangelicals are shaping the Middle EastEgyptian historian Khaled Fahmy on the Six-Day War: The Arabs′ Groundhog Day
Protest again the burka ban in Denmark (photo: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Ritzau Scanpix/M. C. Rasmussen)

Burka bans in Europe

Why the burka is so important for right-wing populists

On 7 March, Switzerland became the latest European country to vote in favour of a so-called "burka" ban. It was yet another feather in the cap of the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP) on an issue that remains a perennial favourite with the Right across Europe. Essay by Daniel BaxMore

Swiss voters back proposal to ban full-face veils in public places Regional 'burka ban' up for vote in Switzerland France's burka ban: Excluding the wrong peopleThe rise of right-wing populism in Europe: A continent divided
The "Initiative 19. Februar" displays photos of the nine victims of the Hanau attack on its walls (photo: Lisa Hänsel/DW)

Islamisation, a racist conspiracy theory

The hatred of Hanau and its enablers

The Hanau terror attack showed just how dangerous racist conspiracy theories can be. And yet it is a threat that continues to be underestimated. Commentary by Daniel BaxMore

Non-fiction: ″Angst ums Abendland″ by Daniel Bax: The apocalyptics of the WestIslam and the West: What Islamisation?Radical critics of Islam and Islamophobia: Denying the individuality of minority membersFresh dispute over Islam: Why the German media are courting the anti-Islam movement
47Soul live on stage: the Shamstep party can begin (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/Esteban Martinena Guerrero)

Shamstep, dabke and the Palestinian cause

47Soul – a band without borders

While Palestinian political concerns are largely ignored these days, Palestinian band of the moment 47Soul is taking the Middle East's music scene by storm. By Daniel BaxMore

Album review: Reem Kelani′s ″Live at the Tabernacle″: Cultivating fusionInterview with Hamed Sinno, frontman of Mashrou’ Leila: Flouting Arab pop conventionDAM – Palestinian Hip Hop: "We Are the Sugar Hill Gang of Palestine!"Qantara dossier: Musical worlds
Dutch sociologist Ruud Koopmans (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/gbrci)

Non-fiction: Ruud Koopman's "Das verfallene Haus des Islam"

Cherry-picking for a distorted image of Islam

Why are predominantly Muslim countries lagging behind when it comes to democracy and human rights? Dutch sociologist Ruud Koopmans uses a lot of figures to underpin his theory that it is all down to religion. According to Daniel Bax, however, his approach is rather too simplisticMore

Arab Spring 2.0: The Middle East's fearless protestersVolker Perthes: "The end of the Middle East, as we know it": The end of Sykes-Picot?Interview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of IslamThe nature of Islam: Neither violence nor peace
Sociologist Aladin El-Mafaalani (photo: www.mafaalani.de)

Non-fiction: Aladin El-Mafaalani's "Das Integrationsparadox"

Demanding a seat at the table

Unlike their parents and grandparents, the children and grandchildren of those who emigrated to Germany one or more generations ago now want a say in how things are done. In his new book "Das Integrationsparadox" (The Integration Paradox), Aladin El-Mafaalani explains why this leads to conflict. Daniel Bax read the bookMore

Racism in Germany: Time to talk about racismIntegration in Germany: Finally growing upThe issue of immigration: German monoculture is a thing of the past
South African Muslim theologian Farid Esack (photo: dpa)

Muslim theologian Farid Esack

More than just an "Israel critic"

Some German commentators have labelled the South African theologian Farid Esack an "anti-Semite". But this over-simplification of his views on Israel does little justice to the intellectual and activist, who champions human rights and a liberal reading of Islam, says Daniel BaxMore

Interview with Farid Esack: "Pluralist societies are about give and take"Western involvement in the Middle East: A rotten legacyQantara dossier: "Reform Islam"
Meeting of right-wing political parties in Koblenz, Germany, on 21 January 2017: Geert Wilders (left), Marine Le Pen (centre) and Frauke Petry (right) (photo: AP)

The rise of right-wing populism in Europe

A continent divided

The rise of right-wing populism is throwing Europe off-balance. The impacts on policies concerning migration, inclusion and asylum are already evident. In many European countries, right-wing propaganda is calling into question achievements such as the freedom of religion, free movement for EU citizens and the right of asylum. By Daniel BaxMore

Franco-German relations: Brothers in arms?Right-wing populism in the USA: Trump′s deplorablesNine Muslims on right-wing populism: Should I stay or should I go?
Police line faces those exiting Cologne main railway station on New Year′s Eve 2016 (photo: Getty Images)

′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.More

Cologne: sexual assaults and the press code: Outrage reaches new heightsA Muslim woman speaks out on exclusion: "Returning to the Dark Ages"Non-fiction: ″Angst ums Abendland″ by Daniel Bax: The apocalyptics of the West
Hatice Durmaz, president of the Council of Muslim Students and Academics in Germany, RAMSA (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Charisius)Hatice Durmaz, president of the Council of Muslim Students and Academics in Germany, RAMSA (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Charisius)

A Muslim woman speaks out on exclusion

"Returning to the Dark Ages"

She is devoted to the struggle against anti-Muslim racism. Hatice Durmaz speaks out on hatred that has become socially acceptable, right-wing populists and hostility in German universitiesMore

"An expression of institutional Islamophobia"Interview with the political scientist Farid Hafez "An expression of institutional Islamophobia"Racism in Germany: The taint of PEGIDA journalismQantara dossier: Islam in Germany
Refugee in Idomeni (photo: Reuters/S. Nenov)

EU-Turkey deal

The alternative is Idomeni

Instead of mocking Merkel as a "pushover", those concerned with the welfare of refugees would do better to throw their weight behind realising her plan. Otherwise, we could see Europe adopting the Victor Orban model, the consequences of which can already been seen. Commentary by Daniel BaxMore

Juergen Habermas awarded Kluge Prize for Philosophy: ″Asylum is a human right″The refugee debate: What makes us German?Migration and human rights: Refugee versus migrant: what's in a name?
Police presence in front of the main station in Cologne (photo: Reuters/W. Rattay)

Cologne: sexual assaults and the press code

Outrage reaches new heights

Reports on the sexual attacks on New Year's Eve in Cologne have intentionally emphasised the ethnic origins of the offenders. With what reason? A commentary by Daniel BaxMore

Non-fiction: ″Angst ums Abendland″ by Daniel Bax: The apocalyptics of the WestRacism in Germany: The taint of PEGIDA journalismA year on, Germany's PEGIDA radicalised by refugee influx
Women in Berlin protesting against the Paris attacks, January 2015 (photo: dpa)

Terrorism debate

The distortion of Islam

Why do terrorists such as those involved in the Paris attacks cite Islam as their motivation? Their actions have nothing in common with what most Muslims believe. By Daniel BaxMore

On Raif Badawi, Charlie Hebdo and non-violent Islamism: "We are all in this together, like it or not"Interview with the French imam Djelloul Seddiki: "Extremist groups want to impose on us a clash of civilisations"Muslims and the Paris attacks: "I distance myself from these murderers – not as a Muslim, but as a human being"Reactions to the Paris attacks: Religiousness is not the problemGerman jihadists: Turning their backs on the WestSalafists in Germany: A simple world view and the promise of paradise
Yahya Hassan during a reading of his poetry (photo: dpa)

The Young Danish poet Yahya Hassan

Whiz kid from the ghetto

Barely 18 years old, Yahya Hassan has thrilled readers and enriched Denmark's literary scene with his first volume of poetry. He also polarises opinion. Daniel Bax on Denmark's new poetry sensationMore

International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2014: "Frankenstein in Baghdad": Beyond good and evilSyria's opposition writers: Fighting oppression and censorshipTranslations of Classical Islamic Literature: From the Emotional Orient to the Distortion of Islam
Hamed Abdel-Samad (photo: DW)

Hamed Abdel-Samad's controversial theories on Islam

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Caution! Explicit Content!

Hamed Abdel-Samad's book "Der islamische Faschismus" (Islamic Fascism) is not a serious analysis, but a platitude-laden polemic against political Islam. Ironically, the book shows that its author has more in common with the people he is criticising than he realises. By Daniel BaxMore

Boualem Sansal's essay on Islamisation: Fighting Islamists with conspiracy theoriesPolitical Islam: The Loss of Democratic LegitimacyWahhabism and Salafism: Shared foundation – different methods
Amy Chua (photo: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images)

Book review: Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld on immigrant culture

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Attack of the power migrants

Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld pledge to lift the lid on the cultural secrets of success of certain immigrant groups in the US. According to Daniel Bax, their book is nothing more than an exercise in cod folk psychologyMore

Book review: Klaus J. Bade on Thilo Sarrazin: Forget Sarrazin!Germany's New Minister for Migration: Aydan Özoguz, a Turkish-German at the TopInterview with Doug Saunders: ''Muslim Infiltration Is a Myth''

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