On the basis of numerous attempts to define Islam (by Muslim theologians and jurists as well as Western specialists in Islamic studies, by Muslim preachers as well as non-Muslim politicians) the meaning of "Islam" and the question of its definability will be discussed.

Autobiographies are historical sources of a particular nature. Pretending to show "how it actually was", they rather present the authors very own interpretation of his/her life-experience.From the flood of Arabic authobiographies published during the last few years, some will be discussed presenting perspectives from different Arab countries.

The confrontation and exchange across the Mediterranean, between West Asia and North Africa on the one side and Europe on the other, have greatly contributed to the formation of identity and the view of the other in both regions.This course traces both the peaceful and violent contacts, esp. as viewed from the Islamic world.

The confrontation and exchange across the Mediterranean, between West Asia and North Africa on the one side and Europe on the other, have greatly contributed to the formation of identity and the view of the other in both regions.This course traces both the peaceful and violent contacts, esp. as viewed from the Islamic world.

Lebanon, created in its present form (as many other things in the region) by European colonialism, has - for geographical, demographical and other reasons - the bad luck to be the battlefield of most different conflicts, bereaving the country of the possibility to strengthen the state in order to counter internal and external strife.

The course looks at the different linguistic, ethnic, national, social, confessional backgrounds of Muslim populations in Western Europe (esp. G, F, GB, CH) and discusses the possibilities of a particular development of "Islam" and Muslims in a Western European environment.

No matter how Palestinian and Israeli politics is seen today, the "problem" originated with the pressure of technologically developed end economically powerful states and groups on the region that at the same time became the object of different religious interests and geostrategic considerations combined with unresolved problems in Europe.

"A novel tells a story." The novels of the Egyptian Nobel laureate of 1988 tell many stories, and they all deal with Egypt and her state of mind during the 20th century, no matter whether these novels deal with history, social problems or surrealistic phantasies. Egyptian history from the First World War until the end of the century.

In view of discord and the incantation of unity in the Arab world we shall look at the contradiction between the "earthly reality" and the "perennial dream": the problems of a vision of unity between historical development, claims to power, interests, and international politics.

Origin of the so-called Islamic World is this region, stage of vast empires and civilizations, object of extended imperialist activities. Thus, the question has always imposed itself: which elements have worked for cohesion and which ones have led to friction and division, ever since the 7th cent., ethnically, politically, religiously, culturally ...