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AAU 4.1 Iraq nearly twenty years after its “liberation”

Published at 10 20,,, 22 2022

On September 26, our program Aula Árabe Universitaria will be back with this conference, at which Iraqi activist Haifa Zangana will explain the current situation in the country. We are just a few months away from the twentieth anniversary of the war in Iraq, launched by the US in March 2003, when it sent 160,000 soldiers with the support of the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland. According to the former president of the United States, George W. Bush, that invasion would lead to the “liberation of Iraq.” Two years later, during his speech at the Fort Bragg military base (you can watch the full speech in English by following this link), Bush argued that, as a pillar of his “war on terror,” eliminating terrorists who “know that as freedom takes root in Iraq, it will inspire millions throughout the Middle East to demand their freedom as well.” However, the reality in Iraq today is radically different, and the region, whose popular demands of 2011 have been silenced, is no better off politically, economically or socially. At this opening conference in the new Aula Árabe Universitaria 4 event series organized by Casa Árabe and held with the cooperation of the Master’s degree in Contemporary Arab and Islamic Studies (MEAIC) at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, analyst Hayder al-Khoei will be examining current event in this key country in the stability of the Middle East, in terms of the American concept of democracy, in a nation mired in internal struggles, fighting between armed militias, with a failed government plagued by corruption, and the state’s sovereignty violated on a daily basis. The author will be accompanied by Nieves Paradela, tenured lecturer in the Department of Arab and Islamic Studies at the Autonomous University of Madrid, and Karim Hauser, Casa Árabe's International Relations Coordinator. Presented by Cristina Juarranz, Programming Coordinator and Assistant Director of Casa Árabe. Hayder al-Khoei is the head of external relations at the Al-Khoei Institute in Iraq, where his work focuses on intra- and inter-religious dialogue in the Middle East region. Prior to this, he was a member of the Middle East and North Africa programs at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and the European Council on Foreign Relations, where his research focused on political and security-related developments in Iraq and Syria. He earned a Master’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and another Master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College of London. Further information: https://en.casaarabe.es/event/iraq-nearly-twenty-years-after-its-“liberation” Foto: Iraq (@USArmy en Flickr)

ALL VIDEOS IN THIS CATEGORY

Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 4 (5/5)

Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 4. Perception and portrayal of European Muslims. Stefano Allievi, International Forum for Democracy & Religions Virtudes Téllez, Study Group on Arab and Muslim Societies (GRESAM) Moderated by: Ana I. Planet, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-UAM More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe

Published at 07 12,,, 17 2017
Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 3 (4/5)

Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 3. Models and practical experiences for integration. Jonas Alwall, University of Malmö Corinne Torrekens, Université Libre de Bruxelles Jordi Moreras, Universitat Rovira i Virgili Moderated by: Karim Hauser, Casa Árabe More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe

Published at 05 12,,, 17 2017
Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 2 (3/5)

Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 2. Adapting to new challenges. Vit Novotny, Martens Centre Gemma Pinyol Jiménez, Universidad Pompeu Fabra Sol Tarrés, University of Huelva Moderated by: Puerto García, Fundación Pluralismo y Convivencia More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe

Published at 02 12,,, 17 2017
Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 1 (2/5)

Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 1. European legal frameworks in the field of migration. Mohammed Aziz, Director of the Aziz Foundation and a Fellow of Faiths and Civil Society Unit, Goldsmiths, University of London Stephan Hinghofer-Szalkay, University of Graz Ángeles Solanes Corella, University of Valencia Moderated by: Héctor Cebolla, UNED More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe

Published at 00 12,,, 17 2017
Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Opening (1/5)

Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. The continent of Europe has experienced a series of migratory waves in the twentieth century which have redefined its demographic, ethnic and religious makeup. At the same time, the transformation of the EEC into the EU and its later expansion have allowed for unprecedented movement by people. Though the diversity of today’s Europeans is enormous, it is of interest to take a closer look at the case of communities originating from countries with a Muslim majority. It was estimated in the year of 2010 that the European Union was home to approximately 13 million Muslim immigrants. The history of the EU’s members as societies taking in refugees varies greatly and includes many nuances. In France, the Muslims of a foreign origin come mostly from its former French colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the mark left behind by colonialism has meant a greater presence of Muslims from the Indian subcontinent and from Africa. In contrast, Germany’s Muslims consist mainly of Turkish immigrants and their descendants, though they also include many who were born in Kosovo, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Morocco. In Spain, immigration has developed along with the economic, social and demographic changes which the country has undergone in just a short period of time, especially after the processes of democratization and the country’s later membership in the EEC in 1986. Added to all of this has been the recent influx of refugees, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and West Africa. The contact which has been produced with such diversity has modified certain institutional and social parameters, while at the same time contributing organizational community structures. In the words of Oliver Roy, the Law ends up constructing a “legal form of the religious,” without going so far as defining it based on its content. As for the Islamic religion and its registered institutions, they have assumed this discourse in the sense that they feel legitimized by their legal status, while at the same time claiming their place within the public space. Understanding the way in which regulatory frameworks have been defined to produce greater or lesser inclusiveness of Arabs and Muslims in European societies is essential in today’s context of major migratory pressure and increasing Islamophobia. At the same time, it is advisable to analyze, beyond just the legal context, the successful experiences in the field of integration so as to identify good practices and create recommendations for the future. In summary, the seminar organized by Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation proposes an analysis of different European legal systems, as well as sharing local experiences and practices. Each session will seek to complete comparative analyses of several countries in the EU, with both European and Spanish speakers. The goal is to spur debate, provide information and potentially influence the formulation of public policies. Opening session. Migration and diversity management. Institutional presentations: José Antonio Nieto Ballesteros, State Secretary of the Interior. Regina Jordan, Director of Integration and Social Cohesion, Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (pending confirmation) Wilhelm Hofmeister, director of the Office for Spain and Portugal, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Pedro Martínez-Avial, General Director, Casa Árabe Presentation: Anna Terrón, Instrategies More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe

Published at 57 12,,, 17 2017