Europe
All countries-
Book review: Mathias Enard′s ″Boussole″
In love with the Orient
Mathias Enard has written a magnificent novel about Europe’s fascination with the Orient. Awarded France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt, the multi-layered and astounding book is the story of a great unfulfilled love, but above all a plea for cultural dialogue. Ulrich von Schwerin read the book
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Islam and violence
There is a difference
When asked what they associate with Islam, too many Germans think of violence. The accusation that Muslims have a particular affinity with violence that is motivated by their religion is not as new as some people think, in fact it is an echo of ancient Western cliches. By Bulent Ucar
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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 Topcu
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Interview with Turkish author Elif Shafak
Democracy in a downward spiral
In interview with Sabine Peschel, best-selling Turkish author Elif Shafak warns against the disintegration of democratic values and the rise of authoritarianism in Turkey and across Europe
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Secularism in the Islamic world
Part II – Clouding the issue
In the second part of his essay on secularism in the Islamic world, Saudi analyst Khalid al-Dakhil addresses the ready confusion, found particularly in Islamic writings, of secularism as a concept and separating religion and the state as a legal-political reality. What is the difference?
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Slavoj Zizek’s exploration of Islam and modernity
A Eurocentric perspective
Unlike most of his published work, Slavoj Zizek′s latest essay on Islam and modernity is not left-wing at all. Rather surprisingly, he is favour of restricting the mobility of refugees within Europe and defends a whole range of Eurocentric attitudes. By Tarkan Tek
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Right-wing populism in the USA
Trump′s deplorables
Hillary Clinton, the Democratic US presidential nominee, recently described supporters of her opponent, Donald Trump, as a ″basket of deplorables″. It was neither a tactful nor an elegant phrase and she later apologised for her remark. But she was more right than wrong. By Ian Buruma
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The destruction of Aleppo
Surrendering our soul
The French philosopher and author Bernard-Henri Levy appeals to Europe to step in and put an end to the razing of Aleppo
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The West and the Islamic world
Diplomatic hubris
European nations suspend civil rights in an era of terror, but preach to others about the rule of law. What might they do to regain credibility in the Middle East? By Sonja Hegasy
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Secularism in the Islamic world
Part I – It′s a knotty problem
The well-known Saudi analyst Khaled al-Dakhil posits that if it was secularism that led the West out of the Dark Ages and into the Enlightenment and if, at the same time, secularism means atheism and a lack of religious faith, then it was the latter, rather than faith, which paved the way to science, insight and freedom
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Historian Bettany Hughes delves into Europe's Islamic heritage
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France and the burkini ban
Lawmakers beware!
Demand too much conformity of a population and you may end up with the exact opposite. Forcing people to adhere to a common identity, as in the case of the burkini ban, fosters a rebellious insistence on difference. By Ian Buruma