Most recent articles by Claudia Mende
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Islam in GermanyImam Idriz – "We need to allow controversial discussion"
Benjamin Idriz, imam of the mosque in Penzberg near Munich, is one of the most prominent representatives of Islam in Germany. He sees his role as building bridges to mainstream society without surrendering his own Muslim identity. In interview with Claudia Mende for Qantara.de, he argues that the mosque should be a place of open discussion where controversial opinions are possible
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Women's rights in North Africa"The headscarf is losing its religious edge"
Moroccan sociologist Fatima Sadiqi believes that women's movements in North Africa have changed over the past ten years. Today, women from all social classes are fighting together for more rights, regardless of whether they are "secular" or "Islamic" feminists. Claudia Mende spoke with her for Qantara.de
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Yemen and the Biden administration"After the war, Yemen will no longer be a sovereign state"
At the beginning of his term, U.S. President Joe Biden said the war in Yemen must end because it had led to a "humanitarian and strategic catastrophe". Yet, according to Said AIDailami, the war continues with unabated ferocity because the warring parties have not yet achieved their political and economic goals. Interview for Qantara.de by Claudia Mende
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Ten years after the Arab SpringArab women's rights, a genuine lifestyle revolution?
Arab women played a leading role in the protest movement of 2011. Since then, ongoing social transformation has had a considerable impact on their lives. What is their assessment of the situation ten years on? Claudia Mende spoke to women from Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco
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Tunisia ten years after the Arab SpringWhere are the democratic dividends for Tunisians?
Tunisia has launched a successful transition to democracy, but difficult economic and social times lie ahead. According to political scientist Said AlDailami, Europe should focus more on joint interests in its co-operation with the North African state. Interview conducted by Claudia Mende
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10 years of ArabellionThe buds of the Arab Spring
Ten years after the start of the Arabellion in North Africa and the Middle East, many view the movement as a failure. But rather than being over, it has now entered a more mature phase with new forms of protest. An assessment by Claudia Mende
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Rabbi Elhanan Miller on interfaith dialogue"People of the Book" brings Jews and Muslims together
Conceived by Israeli journalist and rabbi Elhanan Miller, "People of the Book" is a YouTube project designed to provide information on Judaism in Arabic. Disarming prejudice with humour, Miller's cartoons aim to promote mutual understanding between Jews and Arabs. Interview by Claudia Mende
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Al Boraq, M6 and neo-liberalismMorocco's fast-track development programme bypasses many
Morocco is receiving much international recognition for its policy of modernisation, but the weaknesses of the model are obvious. By Claudia Mende
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Interview with Moroccan Islamic feminist Asma LamrabetEmancipation through a new reading of the Koran
Moroccan physician and author Asma Lamrabet is one of the foremost representatives of Islamic feminism in North Africa. She urges Arab women to follow their own path, distinct from Western feminism, in order to liberate themselves from male paternalism. Claudia Mende spoke to her in Rabat
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Immigration in MoroccoThe long road to integration for immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa
Morocco officially declared itself a country of immigration in 2013, responding to the growing number of immigrants arriving from sub-Saharan Africa. Since then, tens of thousands of illegal aliens have been given residence permits, making them legal residents of the country. Despite this progress, however, Morocco's immigration policies remain inconsistent, and society has yet to truly accept the newcomers. By Claudia Mende
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Tangiers, MoroccoOf myths and modernity
It was American literary figures who propagated the myth of the city of Tangiers in north-western Morocco as a den of permissiveness and danger. Notwithstanding this Western view of the city, Tangier is to this day a city that belongs to no specific culture or continent. Claudia Mende takes us on a literary tour
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Municipal administration for beginnersLocal authorities in Germany offer traineeships to Syrians
Twenty-five Syrian refugees were accepted onto a one-year trainee programme in municipal administration with seven German local authorities. As it turns out, the Syrians were not the only ones to benefit. Claudia Mende reports