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On Defense, France Bites the Bullet, But Avoids Strategic Insolvency May 7, 2013
Iceland’s Recovery Saga Presents Opportunities for Brussels, Washington—and Beijing May 6, 2013
Which Way Forward for Europe’s Hybrid Regimes? May 2, 2013
The Arab Revolts and the Liberal Order May 2, 2013
Events
Andrew Light Speaker Tour in Europe May 14, 2013 / Berlin, Germany; Brussels, BelgiumGMF Senior Fellow Andrew Light participated in a speaking tour in Europe to discuss opportunities for transatlantic cooperation on climate and energy policy in the second Obama administration.
In this podcast, GMF Vice President of Programs Ivan Vejvoda discusses last month's historic agreement to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Anchor Elaine Reyes speaks with Andrew Small, Transatlantic Fellow of the Asia Program for the German Marshall Fund, about Beijing's potential role in brokering peace between Israel and Palestine
Events
Muslim Integration, European Social Cohesion, and Transatlantic Lessons Learned September 17, 2009 / Washington, DC
On Thursday, September 17, GMF hosted a panel discussion around the new book from Christopher Caldwell, Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam, and the West. The event focused upon the state of Muslim integration in Europe, useful lessons that the United States can draw from the European experience, and raised the question: How can we learn from each other, given our different starting points and future challenges?
GMF President Craig Kennedy welcomed the panelists and Steve Szabo, executive director of the Transatlantic Academy, gave opening remarks. Mr. Caldwell followed with an introduction of his book and discussed the history of immigration in Europe, which he described as an “accident of geography, meeting an accident of history.” John R. Bowen, professor of anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis and an expert on Islam in Europe, followed with an engaging presentation on the status of Islam in modern day Europe. Mr. Bowen said that “Europeans are facing the reality of diversity,” drawing parallels between the struggles of political Islam and the Civil Rights movement in the United States. Following Mr. Bowen’s remarks, Geneive Abdo, a fellow at the Century Foundation, detailed the history of Muslim immigration to the United States and recent demographic trends, including how the second and third generations have expressed stronger ties to the global Islamic community.
The panelists’ presentations led to a candid round table discussion moderated by Dr. Szabo. Discussion topics ranged from the role of the media in shaping modern Islam to the intergenerational conflicts within Muslim society, with the panelists deferring to each other for their insights and expertise. Current Transatlantic Academy Fellows Ahmet Evin and Kemal Kirisci contributed with comments and questions about the collectivism of a Muslim identity and the importance of examining the role a host society plays in the integration process. The discussion was lively and shed light on the commonalities and schisms in the approaches toward Muslim integration in Europe and the United States. 