Europe
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US Middle East foreign policy
West versus the rest
Trump′s policy attempts to apply a tourniquet to the perceived ′Muslim problem′ that has been manufactured and now exacerbated by the West′s wayward dealings in the Middle East. An analysis by Mishana Hosseinioun
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The West and the Muslim world
Bin the black and white model
East-West dualism fuelled by the rise of right-wing populists in Europe and the election of US President Trump is hampering the progress of the Orient and that of Muslim communities in the West, warns analyst Shafeeq Ghabra. High time for some ideological disarmament, says the political scientist
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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 Bax
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Social media against Islamic extremism
An invisible battle
If we are to counteract the scourge of Islamic misinterpretation and defend what is intrinsically a religion of peace, argues Abdalhadi Alijla, we need educational, civil society and means-tested programmes coupled with a stronger political will
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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
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Jihadism debate
Beyond the Mediterranean
Our image of Arab countries tends to be dominated by terror and violence. Yet many people across the region are working hard to defend their freedoms and fight for a decent life – under difficult circumstances. An essay by Asiem El Difraoui
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Middle East conflict
Empty rhetoric
The West likes to repeat its criticism of Israel's settlement policy but does nothing to put a stop to it. That's why the two-state solution is just empty rhetoric, writes Joseph Croitoru
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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
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Book review: ″Tahrir Tales: Plays from the Egyptian Revolution″
The drama of protest
Despite bearing the title ″Tahrir Tales: Plays from the Egyptian Revolution″, the works in this new anthology, translated and edited by Rebekah Maggor and Mohammad Albakry, aren′t limited to the events of January and February 2011, nor to other uprisings that have taken place in Cairo′s iconic downtown square. By Marcia Lynx Qualey
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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
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The secularisation of Muslims
Silent withdrawal
While the emerging religious demography only counts members of the Church as Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims etc. are counted as religious from birth – with no option to leave their religion. This skews the statistics and our perceptions. By Michael Blume
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Album review: Cigdem Aslan's ″A Thousand Cranes″
Tugging at your heartstrings
Cigdem Aslan's newest release, ″A Thousand Cranes″ on the Asphalt Tango Records label, harks back to a period when music and cultures came together in a celebration of life. By Richard Marcus