Thilo Sarrazin maintains that Muslim immigration is making Germany more and more stupid. Why on earth should we have to pay attention to his bizarre hypotheses? Even taking the slightest interest makes them appear worthy of discussion. A comment by Robert Misik
Direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis are being resumed this week. Although the majority of people on both sides do not believe the peace talks have a chance of succeeding, neither do they think there is any alternative to continuing negotiations. Muhannad Adam with the well-known Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki on this issue
Thilo Sarrazin's theories have highlighted the fact that racism in Germany is not exclusive to the extreme right but can also be found in mainstream society. Human rights expert Hendrik Cremer is convinced that politicians must address the problem
Trapped in their contradictions and zero-sum national dreams, Israelis and Palestinians cannot expect a perfect solution, writes former Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami in his article
The Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies brings together students from a Muslim, Christian and secular university and promotes dialogue with members of other faiths and non-believers. Anett Keller reports from Yogyakarta
Thilo Sarrazin has written a book about Germany's decline. He sees himself as a voice in the wilderness, but his proposals for saving the country do little to help. A review of "Germany Is Abolishing Itself" by Matthias Drobinski
The Lebanese civil war ended twenty years ago, leaving in its wake a society deeply divided both politically and religiously. Yet, apart from the numerous official efforts to bring various sides closer together, a spontaneous dialogue with the old traditions has always taken place among believers. Details from Beirut by Mona Naggar
In recognition of his numerous renderings of German language poetry into Arabic, the Lebanese poet, philosopher, and translator Fuad Rifka has been awarded with the Goethe Medal, an official medal of honour of the Federal Republic of Germany. Rainer Traube interviews Fuad Rifka
The Morgenland Festival Osnabrück is setting new standards in the encounter between the West and the East. This year's focus was the music of the Uyghurs, the Muslim minority in China. Stefan Buchen went along
Everyone must have seen them somewhere: highly atmospheric photos of the Bosporus bearing the unmistakable signature of the legendary Magnum photographer Ara Güler. A new book now presents half a century of Istanbul's history through his lens. Nimet Seker on a remarkable coffee table book
Eliza Griswold is a fellow at the New America Foundation, where she reports on religion, conflict and human rights. In this NPR interview, Eliza Griswold talks about how Islam and Christianity clash in the Sudan. More...
"Muslims in Germany – German Muslims" – this slogan encapsulates the central aim of the German Islam Conference: Muslims in Germany should see themselves and be seen by others as part of German society. Click here for more...
A new spirit of optimism is currently making itself felt on the art scene in the Islamic world. Our dossier keeps you abreast of the trends and issues influencing contemporary and classical art from the region, as well as the work of Muslim artists based in foreign countries. Click here...
"Art & Thought", or "Fikrun wa Fann", is the Goethe Institute's cultural magazine promoting the dialogue with the Islamic world. Click here for more...
