General News
“Civilized versus Uncivilized Refugees”: The Political Consequences of the narrative on the Ukrainian crisis
The conflict in Ukraine has created another refugee crisis. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in two weeks (since 24 February), over 2 million people have fled Ukraine. Many of them are being welcomed by neighboring countries, particularly Poland (1,2 million), but also Hungary (over 191,000), Slovakia (over 140,000), Moldova and Romania (over 82,000…
The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Europe: Book Launch
The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Europe was launched online by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs on January 27th 2022. The Handbook was co-authored by Grace Davie, Professor Emeritues in Sociology at the University of Exeter, UK, and Lucian Leustean, Reader in Politics and International Relations at Aston University, UK. The…
The never-ending debate on the hijab: Latest trends in Europe
For decades now, the hijab has become a symbol of the tensions between Islam and secular European cultures [1]. Out of the 27 EU member states and the United Kingdom, 9 countries currently enforce some type of restriction on religious dress for Muslim women. Some of these are national bans (Austria, Denmark, France, the Netherlands)…
Is Religious Bullying on the Rise in Berlin Schools?
In a study published in December 2021, nine of ten schools surveyed in Berlin’s migrant-rich Neukölln district reported regular incidents of religiously motivated bullying or oppression of girls (Source). The recently re-elected government of Berlin consisting of Social Democrats (SPD), Green Party and the far-left Die Linke party, has had Greens and Linke members speak…
Who Is Germany’s First Muslim Minister, Cem Özdemir?
On December 8 2021, Germany swore in a new chancellor, Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats (SPD), ending the 16-year reign of Angela Merkel. Scholz will oversee a three-party coalition, which includes the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats (FDP) as junior partners. Long-time Green Party member and former head of the party, Cem Özdemir,…