Most recent articles by Claudia Mende
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The "Muslim Associations as Community Activists" projectOpen dialogue on thorny issues
Beyond all the intellectual debates about their religion, most Muslims in Germany face difficulties in their everyday lives that they would dearly like to solve. The Goethe-Institut, in co-operation with the Robert Bosch Stiftung, has initiated a project called "Muslim Associations as Community Activists". The project seeks not only to create stronger ties between mosque associations in German cities and the city authorities but also to improve relations between the various Muslim denominations. By Claudia Mende
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The Hakawati bookshop for children and young people in AmmanHuge appetite for exciting stories
Since opening ten years ago, the Hakawati bookshop in Amman has become an institution in the Jordanian capital. Nowhere else in the city offers such a wealth of books for children and young people. Claudia Mende took a look around this fascinating shop
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Abduction in Syria of Paolo Dall'OglioA voice of peace in a wilderness of violence
The Italian Jesuit Paolo Dall'Oglio was abducted eight months ago in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa. There has been no trace of him since. A popular figure in Syria, the priest has been a consistent champion of dialogue between Christians and Muslims. He was one of the few members of the Church to align himself with the opposition right at the start of the uprising against Assad in March 2011. By Claudia Mende
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Interview with Naika Foroutan on Germany's Islam ConferenceEncouraging developments
Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière has announced that the German Islam Conference will no longer concern itself with security issues. For sociologist Naika Foroutan of Berlin's Humboldt University, this is a positive sign. At last, the conference will be able to concentrate on ensuring religious equality for Muslims in Germany. Claudia Mende spoke to her
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Interview with Kerem ÖktemFarewell to the "Islamic Vatican"?
Diyanet, Turkey's state-run Directorate General for Religious Affairs, is often referred to as a kind of Islamic "mini-Vatican". The Ankara-based authority seeks to shape the religious lives of Turkish Muslims living in Western Europe. In Germany, the Turkish Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB), a federation of almost 900 mosque communities, is closely allied with Diyanet. Claudia Mende asked German scholar Kerem Öktem of St Anthony's College Oxford to what extent Ankara influences debates about religious matters in Germany
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Refugee Crisis in JordanAt the Breaking Point
Jordan has accepted around 600,000 Syrian refugees to date, and more are on the way. Although Jordan is continuing to show a considerable willingness to help, the fact that there is no foreseeable end to the Syrian civil war has led to growing frustration among Jordanians due to rising rents and increasing competition on the labour market. By Claudia Mende
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Debate on European IslamA Mined Terrain
The concept of European Islam has proved to be a constant source of controversy. For some it embodies the deliverance of Islam from everything that is perceived as backward looking and pre-modern. Others fear that a European Islam is a watered-down religion, a kind of government-controlled "state Islam", prepared to fully accommodate to the wishes of the authorities. By Claudia Mende
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The Dialogue LexiconChristianity and Islam on Equal Terms
The Eugen Biser Foundation in Munich and the Islamic-Theological Faculty at the University of Ankara have published a joint lexicon of basic terms from Christianity and Islam. The reference text in German and Turkish provides, for the first time, a parallel presentation of two monotheistic religions in one work. By Claudia Mende
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Egypt's Transitional GovernmentA Setback for Human Rights
When Mohammed Morsi was ousted from office in early July, Egypt's transitional government promised that new, free elections would swiftly follow. Since then, it has excluded the Muslim Brotherhood from the political process and is systematically restricting civil rights under the pretext of combating terrorism. By Claudia Mende
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Young Muslims in GermanyTaking a Stand for Society
The first network made up of engaged, young, well-educated Muslims has been active in Germany now for more than three years. The network, called “Zahnräder” (Gear Wheels), has brought together Muslims from various disciplines and interests, regardless of ethnic background or internal Islamic differences. By Claudia Mende
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NSU Trial in MunichA Thoroughgoing Investigation and Justice
A trial under strict security precautions has begun that will deal with the crime wave committed by the neo-Nazi terrorist group "National Socialist Underground". The families of the victims are hoping that the accused, Beate Zschäpe, will finally break her silence and take a stand on the charges. Details by Claudia Mende
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Muslim Women and IntegrationOppressed in the Name of Islam?
The majority of Germans regard Islam as misogynist. No other issue in the public debate on integration has evoked such bitter controversy among Germans. Nonetheless, the image of the "oppressed woman" does not correspond to the real life situation of most Muslim women. By Claudia Mende