Multiculturalism
All topics-
Germany's Faces of Democracy initiative
"Role models with a migration background more important than quotas"
Lamia Messari-Becker, 48, is professor of construction technology and structural physics at the University of Siegen. Until June 2020, the native Moroccan was a member of the German government's Expert Council on the Environment. Messari-Becker is a member of the Club of Rome International, which campaigns for a sustainable future for humanity. She spoke to Sven Lilienstrom about democracy, climate protection and sustainability
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Saman Haddad, cultural mediator in Germany
"Don’t talk about integration, just do it"
The child of Iraqi refugees, Saman Haddad arrived in Germany twenty-five years ago at the age of thirteen. Now a well-known cultural figure in Bonn, Haddad doesn't wait for others to take the initiative. Nor does he let others' reactions put him off. Profile by Philipp Jedicke
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Culture and innovation in the Arab world
Where are the new Arab icons?
As the photo of Fairouz talking to French President Emmanuel Macron spread around the world, many asked if Arabs today had any contemporary stars of Fairouz's standing. In this essay for Qantara.de, Khaled Al-Khamissi answers this question and asks whether there is a place for up-and-coming stars in a world that is so hostile to creativity and originality
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Spotlight on bridge-builders: Lamya Kaddor
"I aim to strengthen young Muslims' sense of identity"
Lamya Kaddor is a frontwoman for liberal Islam in Germany. The Islamic studies teacher has received numerous awards for her dedication. But she also faces hostility from many sides. Ceyda Nurtsch introduces her for Qantara.de
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Spotlight on bridge-builders: Omid Nouripour
Taking a stand against the "overemphasis of difference"
Omid Nouripour fled Iran for Germany with his family at the age of 13. Today, he is foreign policy spokesman for Germany’s Green Party. He argues that societal differences should be seen as potential and vehicles for peace in foreign policymaking. Profile by Ceyda Nurtsch for Qantara.de
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Freedom of speech in the Middle East
Arabs follow fake news, while the dream of progress dies
In the Arab world, freedom of opinion collides with a societal juggernaut that silences imagination with remarkable efficiency. Egyptian author and novelist Khaled al-Khamissi describes the mechanisms of repression in Arab society
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Where are the Islamic chaplains?
No pastoral care for Muslims in Germany's armed forces
Lieutenant Nariman Hammounti-Reinke risked her life for Germany in Afghanistan. But when it comes to her religion she feels left out by the Bundeswehr, despite the growing number of Muslim troops in the country's army. By Christoph Strack
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Black Lives Matter in Egypt
The controversy surrounding racism – are Arabs racist?
The Arab world suffers from a system in which people are intolerant of "the other". This racist environment contributes to the growth of hostility and antagonism towards anyone who differs from our sense of what is "normal" or "conventional". By Khaled al-Khamissi
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Identity politics in the West
Islam – no longer the bogeyman
The champions of white identity are re-grouping. In the West hostility towards Islam has had its day. It is now being absorbed into common or garden racism, says Stefan Buchen in his essay
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Right-wing populism in Canada
Is Trudeau's multi-cultural idyll in danger?
On 16 June, Quebecʹs National Assembly passed Bill 21, a controversial law banning certain public servants from wearing religious symbols at work. Combined with tougher immigration laws introduced by the Francophone region, this would seem to indicate that part, if not all, of Canada is shifting inexorably to the right. By Richard Marcus
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Islamophobia and xenophobia
The West’s racism problem
The mob in Chemnitz had a lot in common with the neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan followers and other extremists who caused mayhem a year ago in Charlottesville, Virginia, writes Ian Buruma
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Interview with Islam scholar Riem Spielhaus
#MeTwo: "Itʹs a topic for German textbooks"
Mesut Ozil's withdrawal from the German national football team sparked a wide-ranging debate on racism. In an interview with Yalda Zarbakhch, Islam scholar Riem Spielhaus explains where discrimination comes from and how to combat it