
Few political issues are as contested as Turkey's possible accession to the European Union. Will Ankara be able to meet all the criteria in the long term? In our dossier, sponsored by the Ernst Reuter Initiative, we take a look at political, societal and cultural relations between Turkey and Europe

Islamism is generally considered to be a religious ideology that aims at influencing the political sphere and at ultimately implementing sharia laws. In this dossier we take a look at the different facets of Islamism in various regions of the world

The question of Islam's compatibility with democracy is often posed in the West. For many intellectuals in predominantly Islamic countries, however, it is not faith that prevents democratisation of their societies. They tend to lay the blame instead at the door of the ruling parties - their fear of losing power, their corruption and nepotism

Samuel Huntington proclaimed the "Clash of Civilizations". Intellectuals and cultural critics the world over vehemently disagreed, advocating an "Alliance of Civilizations" as an antidote. We have assembled a variety of views on cultural dialogue in our dossier

Germany has become a major target of immigration over the last few decades. Our dossier looks at the history of migration to Germany, the integration of migrants into German society, and the variety of their cultural expressions

Beyond the violence in the Middle East conflict, there are many individuals and initiatives working towards lasting peace in the region. Our new dossier presents just some of them
What possibilities does Islam offer for the reform and democratisation of modern Muslim societies? Qantara.de presents the opinions and initiatives of renowned thinkers from the Islamic world.

Muslim women struggling for emancipation often turn to tradition for inspiration. They analyse the Koran and the history of Islam and challenge interpretations which have been accepted for centuries. Read this and more in our dossier

In the West and the Islamic world alike, the headscarf is the subject of heated discussions. We take a closer look at various aspects of the debate and highlight its background and social reality.

Does globalization create opportunities, especially for developing countries, or is it rather an existential threat to traditional economic and social structures? In our dossier, we provide some answers, balancing opposing views

Travels in body are always also travels in mind. In our Orient-Occident Travelogue dossier, we take a look at the way the self and the other were perceived during the Middle Ages, the age of colonialism, up until today.

The Islamic world and Europe are home to a longstanding independent, modern music scene that transcends belly dance and folk music clichés. In this dossier we present some of its most important figures, styles and encounters.

Iran's film culture has been transformed since the Islamic revolution: from the state propaganda films to today's socially critical productions. We take a look at the various facets and examine its resonance in the West.

Literature has always been an important means of cultural exchange and dialogue. Translators and publishers live on the edge of poverty to make a beloved foreign world visible. Qantara.de presents some Arab and German figures.