bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality Regimes in Africa
Authors: Shabani Juma
Published: February 2017

Since the advent of the knowledge economy society, quality assurance plays a major role in the development and implementation of qualifications frameworks needed in order to promote academic mobility. This article reviews quality assurance initiatives launched at national, sub-regional and regional levels in Africa. It analyzes the results achieved, challenges and opportunities and maps out future prospects. The article also raises a series of research questions that are required to further improve quality assurance in Africa.
The Problems with Cross-Border Quality Assurance
Authors: Kinser Kevin , Lane Jason
Published: February 2017

Quality assurance for cross-border higher education often focuses on concerns about academic standards. But the challenge of evaluating international branch campuses and other foreign education outposts goes beyond enforcing basic standards of quality. We identify five issues that that make quality assurance in the cross-border context problematic.
The Need for Research and Training for the Higher Education Enterprise
Authors: Statement The Shanghai
Published: February 2017

A statement on the role of higher education research and training centers in today’s complex tertiary education environment.
Higher Education in Post-Conflict Conditions
Authors: Pacheco Ivan F , Turner Johnson Ane
Published: February 2017

The connection between higher education and peacebuilding remains largely uncharted. This article explores how internal armed conflicts have affected higher education institutions in Colombia and Kenya and their ability to promote peacebuilding. Despite the differences in context and the evolution of the conflicts, in both countries the transformation efforts started during the conflict stage.
Does a Higher Education Research Community Exist in Asia?
Authors: Horta Hugo , Jung Jisun
Published: February 2017

Research about higher education and universities in Asia has been growing in volume, but it represents no more than 7% of all publications in international, peer-reviewed, core higher education journals. Its community is emergent internationally but dominated by ‘one time only’ publications. Higher education research in Asia is mostly concentrated in East Asia, where the most mature higher education systems are located. It is performed systemically by only a few universities, and it actually rests on the shoulders of few dedicated scholars. The field in Asia is internationally linked, primarily to English-speaking countries, but poorly regionally integrated.
Europe’s 25 Years of Internationalization: The EAIE in a Changing World
Authors: De Wit Hans , Hunter Fiona
Published: February 2017

Europe’s 25 Years of Internationalization: The EAIE in a Changing World
India: Mobility Trends
Authors: Teter Wesley , Martin Don
Published: February 2017

Over the past four years, US enrollments from India decreased 17 percent at graduate level and 16 percent at undergraduate level. As a top-sending country, the broader impact of these trends is substantial. However, new data and indicators point to a bright future beyond 2013. This article explores the latest trends in student mobility from India and key drivers for future growth. Key words: international student mobility, India, recruitment strategies, study in the US.
Democratic Reform in Egyptian Universities
Authors: El-Obeidy Ahmed
Published: February 2017

Democratic Reform in Egyptian Universities
Vietnam: New Legislation
Authors: Pham Duy
Published: February 2017

Higher education reforms in Vietnam
APEC’s Bold Higher Education Agenda: Will Anyone Notice?
Authors: Ziguras Christopher
Published: February 2017

APEC is becoming increasingly interested in fostering greater cooperation and exchange in higher education across the Asia Pacific region. This article describes the genesis of that interest and points to some ongoing tensions that will continue to complicate regional initiatives.
Internationalization of Higher Education: Converging or Diverging Trends?
Authors: Egron-Polak Eva
Published: February 2017

Offering a glimpse at the results of the most recent global survey on internationalization of higher education conducted by the International Association of Universities (IAU), the article focuses on a few findings that show the growing importance of internationalization policies/strategies for higher education institutions worldwide as well as the strong role played by institutional leadership.  A discussion of the perceived risks for institutions and for society serves to demonstrate some converging trends while also pointing out the persistent differences and variations between HEIs in different geographic regions of the world.  Some analysis of the responses to questions about funding of internationalization is used to highlight the complexity of the picture drawn by the findings of this 4th Global Survey.
The African Academic Diaspora and African Higher Education
Authors: Foulds Kim , Zeleza Paul Tiyambe
Published: February 2017

Because of the focus on the impact of “brain drain,” discussions centered on the African academic diaspora often fail to highlight the expansive and innovative relationships between institutions of higher education across Africa and African academic diaporans. Recent initiatives, specifically the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program, seek to build on existing and develop new relationships to promote academic exchanges and collaborations to internationalize and strengthen the capacities of African universities.
The Unified State Exam in Russia: Problems and Perspectives
Authors: Denisova-Schmidt Elena , Leontyeva Elvira
Published: February 2017

Since 2009, all Russian students have had to pass the EGE (Unified State Exam), which serves as both school finals and university entrance examinations. The EGE was planned as an efficient instrument to counter corruption in university admission and to promote student mobility. Since its inception, the EGE has only fulfilled half of these goals: while mobility has increased significantly, corruption persists. The paper explains some of the reasons for this.
Survey of International Higher Education Readers
Authors: De Gayardon Ariane , Stanfield David A
Published: February 2017

For the first time, we surveyed our readers concerning their views and perspectives in order to improve this publication. We are quite gratified by the very positive views expressed in the survey.
Nix the BRICs—At Least for the Higher Education Debate
Authors: Altbach Philip G , Bassett Roberta Malee
Published: February 2017

Comparing the BRIC countries—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—in terms of higher education does not make good sense. The only thing in common is that they are large academic systems. However, they quite different in terms of history, economic realities, patterns of coordination and governance, and other factors. This article argues that it is not useful to place the BRIC countries in any kind of common framework for comparison.
Be Careful What You Wish For: Pending Privatization of Australian Higher Education
Authors: Welch Anthony
Published: February 2017

Australia’s new conservative government is planning some dramatic changes, including the “marketization” of higher education and freeing of universities to charge any tuition they wish. This article discusses the likely consequences of these proposed policies.
The Missing Link in Intercultural Competence Development: The University’s Organizational Capability to Deliver
Authors: Gregersen-Hermans Jeanine
Published: February 2017

Internationalization is an established reality at most continental European universities, with intercultural competence development as one of its traditional rationales. The problem is that there is little clarity on how higher education institutions have progressed in this regard. The organizational capability to deliver forms a missing link; constraints can be observed at the level of the institution, the academic discipline and the individual academic. A university wide change program focusing on intercultural competence development seems needed.
Internationalizing Students in the Home Country- Dutch policies
Authors: Van Gaalen Adinda , Gielesen Renate
Published: February 2017

This article discusses how internationalization at home can be stimulated based on results of study of 54 Dutch higher education institutions. The article shows that although internationalization at home is one of the key elements of the internationalization agenda, implementation is challenged by a lack of attention to training of staff in this specific field.
Ideological Shift in Indian Higher Education Internationalization
Authors: Kahre Mona
Published: February 2017

A new strategy sees India seeking to become a regional education hub by developing new forms of international collaboration based on co-creation, opening up to private education provision for dual and joint degrees, and entering international associations for knowledge sharing. But, it will need to ensure that appropriate strategies and quality assurance systems are in place at the different levels to ensure successful outcomes.
Internationalizing Research in Saudi Arabia: Purchasing Questionable Privilege
Authors: Ahmed Manail Anis
Published: February 2017

Universities in Saudi Arabia have been taking urgent measures to boost research production in order to be featured in global university rankings. In addition to the many sincere efforts being made to develop a national research enterprise and culture, one of the more dubious practices in this regard is the remote, part-time employment of international highly-cited researchers to publish with a second (Saudi) institutional affiliation. This practice privileges the purchasing of internationally-produced research while ignoring a substantial amount of scholarly output produced within the country in Arabic. The Kingdom could benefit far more from diverting resources instead to supporting research produced locally: by providing rigorous training in international research methods, sponsoring the translation of Arabic research output into English, and in the process educating Saudi researchers about the importance of peer review, academic influence through citation, and ultimately the production of high quality research to an international standard.
Institutional Engagement in Internationalization of Higher Education: Perspectives from Kazakhstan
Authors: Li Aisi , Ashirbekov Adil
Published: February 2017

This article discusses the preliminary findings of a national survey conducted on institutional engagement in the internationalization of higher education in Kazakhstan. Despite government initiatives to internationalize higher education, there are substantial challenges at the institutional level, and there needs to be closer communication and cooperation between the government and higher education institutions in order to achieve better results.
Internationalization of Japanese Universities: Learning from the CAMPUS Asia Experience
Authors: Horie Miki
Published: February 2017

This article focuses on the policy development and program implementation of CAMPUS Asia, a policy jointly initiated by the governments of Japan, China, and Korea. It illustrates that internationalization efforts bring opportunities for university practitioners to apply non-traditional types of teaching and learning in Japan, such as experiential, active, and collaborative learning models. The program implementation is a learning process for students as well as teaching and administrating staff.  The ‘East Asia Leaders’ program identifies the following indicators for the further development and implementation of meaningful multicultural joint programs: (1) the quality in teaching and coordinating staff in terms of pedagogical understandings, (2) the development of outcome measurement schemes for intercultural learning in the East Asian context, and (3) the examination of differences in pre-knowledge and social/personal expectations of students.
International Branch Campuses and Institutional Control
Authors: Coelen Robert
Published: February 2017

Institutions going abroad with International Branch Campuses face a significant increase in the resources required to control the delivery and quality of their mobilized programs. This extra burden finds its origin in factors related to partners, internal perceived barriers between campuses, and the additional jurisdiction.
Private Twilight: Wither Private Universities in Kenya
Authors: Munene Ishmael I.
Published: February 2017

It is a trying time for private universities in Kenya.  Declining market share and attendant financial woes are ominous signs for the once vibrant sector. The article identifies the blurring of institutional distinctiveness, government policy promoting public growth and public sector resurgence through the privatization as factors precipitating the private decline.
MOOCs in the Developing World: Hope or Hype?
Authors: Wildavsky Ben
Published: February 2017

The advent of massive open online courses was accompanied by bold claims about their potential to democratize access to high-quality education in poor countries. But critics contend that MOOCs have come nowhere near meeting those expectations. Most students already have degrees and live in developing countries, and only a small percentage complete their courses. Still, in absolute numbers MOOCs provide opportunities to many underserved students in the developing world. This is likely to continue as MOOCs evolve to provide blended learning and to take advantage of mobile technology. MOOCs should be viewed as an experiment, a fast-changing form of technology-enabled pedagogy that is likely to do far more good than harm in poor countries.
Is There a Chinese Model of a University?
Authors: Zha Qiang , Shi Jinghuan , Wang Xiaoyang
Published: February 2017

This article presents an inquiry into the discourse of a possible Chinese model of the university. It sheds light on two major approaches to this discourse, and then discusses their merits and flaws. Finally, this article suggest situating this discourse in a broader context of globalization, which helps illuminates the notion that it is the combination of different characteristics (Confucian and Western) that makes the Chinese model unique.
India’s Private Universities: Solutions or Problems?
Authors: Powar Krishnapratap B.
Published: February 2017

In India, private universities are a response to the growing demand, in a demographically young country, for higher education; and the inability of the government to fulfill its social responsibility relating to provision of higher education. For the ‘haves’ they provide a solution to the problem of access. For the ‘have nots’ they are a social evil, responsible for widening the economic and social divide.
The Struggle to Rebuild and Transform Higher Education in Afghanistan
Authors: Hayward Fred M , Babury Mohammad O.
Published: February 2017

One of the untold success stories of Afghanistan is the transformation of higher education over the last six years focusing on quality improvement, increased access, faculty development, curriculum upgrading, and merit recruitment and promotions.  While some of these changes are fragile and more needs to be done, prospects for the future are encouraging.
Japan’s “Top Global University” Project
Authors: Shimmi Yukiko , Yonezawa Akiyoshi
Published: February 2017

Thirty-seven Japanese universities were selected as Japan’s “Top Global University” project, a governmental funding initiative in September, 2014. This project aims at promoting universities’ international recognition and competitiveness by internationalizing and conducting university reforms on various aspects of the university operation. After describing the characteristics of the current project, we discuss the potential consequences, such as, micromanagement of the government on the university reform, isomorphic standardization of the internationalization approach, and the widening gap among universities.
Non-Publishers in European Universities
Authors: Kwiek Marek
Published: February 2017

Most academics do not publish much, if anything. Yet, there is great emphasis on publishing in order to be promoted and respects in academe. This article provides analysis of the publication patterns of European academics, and shows that productivity is in fact quite low.
California and the Future of Public Higher Education
Authors: Marginson Simon
Published: February 2017

The California Master Plan for Higher Education, which combined high quality research universities with access-based community colleges in a system differentiated by institutional mission, has been influential worldwide. But in a low tax state, the access element of the Plan has now hit the wall.
Pitfalls of International Cooperative Education Programs in Vietnam
Authors: Do Thu T
Published: February 2017

Globalization has significantly influenced the increasing international cooperative education programs between Vietnamese and foreign institutions in the last decade. For various reasons depending upon the goals and the details of these cooperative programs, the degree of success varies broadly. Some languished, some fell apart, and others required further negotiations.
Integrating Institutional Policies and Leadership for 21st Century Internationalization
Authors: Hudzik John K
Published: February 2017

As internationalization becomes more strategic and comprehensive, institutional support has to migrate from individualistic and idiosyncratic motivations that engage the few to more institutionalized and integrated forms of encouragement to engage the many.  Based on experience and recent case studies, this article identifies four key integrated institutional strategies needed to support wider and deeper internationalization.
Coordinated German Internationalization: Broadening Perspectives
Authors: Streitwieser Bernhard , Olson Jennifer , Burkhart Simone , Klabunde Niels
Published: February 2017

This discussion addresses the changing policy landscape of German higher education, including a shift from development aid to a focus on competition and highly skilled migration; changes in student mobility patterns; and goals and priorities at the federal, state, and institutional levels that have supported internationalization efforts. The discussion concludes with a brief look at anticipated financial and thematic challenges.
India’s Emergence as a Regional Education Hub
Authors: Khare Mona
Published: February 2017

India’s rising academic leadership in the South Asian region is largely seen as a fallout of its Liberalisation Policy and the formation of numerous regional cooperation blocks/groups/associations. India has widened its presence in the region through various modes such that it is no longer identified as just a North-South recipient nation of earlier times. The time is ripe when India can further consolidate its position as a regional education hub by way of systematic strategic planning.
Another Year, Another Methodology: Are Rankings Telling Us Anything New?
Authors: Hazelkorn Ellen , Gibson Andrew
Published: February 2017

Each year brings new rankings, and new changes to how they purport to measure quality. This article looks at recent changes in the main global rankings, and asks whether these annual methodological tweaks actually tell us anything new about higher education.
Citius, Altius, Fortius: Global University Rankings as the “Olympic Games” of Higher Education?
Authors: Yudkevich Maria , Altbach Philip G , Rumbley Laura E
Published: February 2017

The global university rankings can be seen as analogous to the Olympics. This article compares aspects of the Olympics to how global university rankings work, comparing medal counts to academic rankings.
U-Multirank and Latin American Universities
Authors: García De Fanelli Ana
Published: February 2017

The first U-Multirank launched in 2014, a multi-dimensional and user-driven approach to international ranking in higher education, included only a few Latin American universities. I address whether more Latin American universities will be able to participate in this interesting initiative in the near future. I first describe similar projects in Latin America and then discuss whether some of the data the U-Multirank requests in the institutional questionnaires can feasibly be collected from LA universities.
The Syrian Refugee Crisis and Higher Education
Authors: De Wit Hans , Altbach Philip
Published: February 2017

The Syrian refugee crisis creates significant challenges for universities because many of the refugees have academic qualifications and may want to pursue academic study once they have been accepted into a host country. This article argues that refugee-students can bring advantages to universities as well as contributing to the economies of host countries in the long run.
Neo-Nationalism: Challenges for International Students
Authors: Lee Jenny J
Published: February 2017

With increasing internationalization, national identity is being reintroduced and reconceptualized as forms of global competition. Neo-nationalism has the potential to negatively impact an international student’s experience, particularly in studying in one’s region.  This article highlights some challenges for regional students in South Korea and South Africa based on neo-nationalism.
Challenges of Student Mobility in Southeast Asia
Authors: Do Thu T , Pham Duy N.
Published: February 2017

Southeast Asia has experienced a remarkable development of student mobility: A significantly increasing number of Southeast Asian students study abroad in western developed countries, and a gradually increasing number of international students from Southeast Asia, South Korea, China, India, and some western countries study in Southeast Asia. However, these countries also encounter several challenges to advancing these programs.
International Branch Campuses: Evolution of a Phenomenon
Authors: Kinser Kevin , Lane Jason E
Published: February 2017

International branch campuses have evolved over the last decade in terms of their numbers and diversity, their relationship with the host government, and the strategies employed for quality assurance. We review the trends in these areas and suggest several implications for the way the phenomenon should be viewed.
Employment Opportunity as a Driver of Student Mobility
Authors: Farrugia Christine
Published: February 2017

Taking data from the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report, the theme of employment is analyzes in terms of student interest. Student interest in employment opportunities and how that affects mobility is analyzed.
High-stakes Entrance Examinations: A View from Brazil
Authors: Schwartzman Simon , Knobel Marcelo
Published: February 2017

In Brazil, the growing dominance of the national exam for secondary education as a massive, unified entrance exam for higher education has several detrimental consequences. Besides effectively shaping the high school curriculum, with clear disadvantages for those who will not attend college, it restricts the diversity and regional characteristics of the higher education sector. Similar criticisms apply to other countries that use national entrance exams. Some suggestions for possible changes are given.
Essential Information about Predatory Publishers and Journals
Authors: Beall Jeffrey
Published: February 2017

This article introduces, defines, and describes predatory publishers and journals and shows how they hurt science and victimize individual researchers. Academic evaluation that only counts the number of publications may not provide an accurate measure of scholarly achievement, as journals routinely accept papers with little or no peer review.
International Doctoral and Master’s Students: What the Data Tell Us
Authors: Marconi Gabriele
Published: February 2017

International experience is seen as an asset for researchers and top service professionals, and students are well aware of it: within the OECD, 11% of master’s students and 25% of doctoral students are international. International students at these levels tend to choose countries investing substantial resources on R&D in tertiary educational institutions. This offers these countries an opportunity to attract future workers with advanced training, particularly in science and technology: in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United States more than half of those enrolled in a doctoral program in science, engineering or agriculture are international students.”
Managing Markets and Massification of Higher Education in India
Authors: Varghese N. V.
Published: February 2017

The market friendly reforms of the 1990s encouraged proliferation of private higher education institutions and massification of the sector. Massification is accompanied by persisting inequalities, declining quality and poses challenges to effectively manage the system.  This paper argues for a more regulated growth of private higher education and targeted public investments in favour of disadvantaged groups and deprived regions.
The Effects of Saudization on the Universities: Localization in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ahmed Manail Anis
Published: February 2017

19.5 million Saudis out of a total population of approximately 30 million are under the age of 35. Saudi Arabia is intent on localizing its workforce and providing gainful employment to these young citizens. As with all sectors, replacing foreign workers with Saudi nationals has affected the higher education industry also. This piece briefly examines the immediate implications of employment nationalization on the performance of universities, the production of research output, and most importantly the education of students in Saudi institutions. It suggests some modifications in the implementation of Saudization in the higher education landscape of the country.
Brexit and the European Shape of Things to Come
Authors: Hunter Fiona , De Wit Hans
Published: February 2017

Brexit has happened and it will have far-reaching consequences both for UK universities and the further development of the European Higher Education Area.  In a relatively short period of 15 years, European integration has gone from a forward-looking process of integration to an increasingly more complex and challenging endeavour of dealing with diversity in its various manifestations.  In the grips of an economic and political crisis, and with a massive refugee emergency unfolding along the European borders, the integration process is falling apart. The spirit of cooperation has diminished as European institutions have not been able to present credible solutions to the problems faced.  Anti-European Union sentiment is spreading among its member states, with Brexit its most manifest outcome so far.  Higher education has appeared to be immune to these trends with the Bologna Process, the research program Horizon 2020 and the education program ERASMUS+ as clear manifestations of increased co-operation and funding. However, Brexit has it made clear that European Higher Education, despite its commitment to regional co-operation, cannot escape the changing reality around it. Greater intentionality and integration of internationalisation into institutional mission can enable UK universities to demonstrate the value and impact of an international community of students and scholars, firstly to themselves and secondly to the Government in the upcoming negotiations.
The Global Challenge of Academic Integrity
Authors: Denisova-Schmidt Elena
Published: February 2017

The lack of academic integrity is a huge problem at many universities around the world. International students seem to be more frequently involved in various types of cheating compared to domestic ones. This paper discusses some possible reasons for academic dishonesty and shows some successful remedies from different countries.
Analyzing the Culture of Corruption in Indian Higher Education
Authors: Tierney William G. , Sabharwal Nidhi S.
Published: February 2017

Academic corruption occurs in all institutions and all countries.  It is, however, an area of research that is often difficult to study.  The intent here is to understand what systemic corruption is and how it is done in India.  The authors find a broken culture which enable corrupt practices to occur throughout the system.
How Much Autonomy Do International Branch Campuses Really Have?
Authors: Clifford Megan , Kinser Kevin
Published: February 2017

The governments of several developing nations have used public funds to support International Branch Campuses (IBCs). These countries often have specific requirements and regulations that the IBCs must meet. As a result, some of the IBC’s most fundamental financial, academic and governance decisions are determined or heavily influenced by the host nation. These practices compromise the financial autonomy and academic autonomy of IBCs and threaten their sustainability and quality.
Revenue Diversification and Reform in Ethiopian Higher Education
Authors: Mengistu Feleke Kibrome
Published: February 2017

The higher education system in Ethiopia has been undergoing rapid transformation and massive expansion over the last two decades that increases the number of universities and enrolments. However, state funding has been unable to keep pace with the continuously expanding system. Hence, the current expansion has created serious financial pressures. Given the limited public funding and the hugely expanding system, therefore, the move towards increased search for non-governmental sources of revenues has become among the forefront agenda in Ethiopian higher education system.
Higher Education in Western Balkans: Recent Trends and Challenges
Authors: Brajkovic Lucia
Published: February 2017

Due to the lack of systematic data collection on national and institutional levels, the higher education systems in the Western Balkans have remained under-researched. This article aims to describe and analyze some of the most salient challenges facing academic sectors in these countries, such as structural issues, growth of the private sector, and EU funding.
What is the Teaching Excellence Framework in the United Kingdom, and Will it Work?
Authors: Ashwin Paul
Published: February 2017

In this article Ashwin discusses the Teaching Excellence Framework that is being introduced in England. He examines why it is being introduced, how it will work, whether it will meet its aims and how it might develop in the future.
What Happens to Graduates? Contrasting Views of Two Systems
Authors: Adelman Clifford
Published: February 2017

Two surveys of college graduates in large higher education systems, the U.S. and Europe, are presented in terms of their purposes, structural differences, thematic variations, and divergences.  The U.S. system has been operating since 1993; the European Graduate Survey is, at present, only a design, completed in 2016. Both are necessary for system accountability and student guidance.
Indledning: Muslimer i transnationalitet / Transnational islam
Authors: Bubandt Nils , Louw Maria , Rytter Mikkel
Published: February 2017

I stedet for et abstract er her begyndelsen på indledningen:Markante begivenheder i nyere tid såsom Rushdie-affæren, den 11. september og karrikaturkrisen har sat islam på den internationale dagsorden. Trods forudsigelser om religionernes mistede betydning og verdens af-fortryllelse synes religion at have fået ny kraft og vitalitet i en moderne global verden. Det er ikke længere alene relevant at forholde sig til globaliseringen af islam, men også til islam som en globaliseringsdynamik. (...)
I lære som Allahs ven: Selvets renselse på et islamisk universitet i Yemen
Authors: Mathiesen Kasper
Published: February 2017

Islamic education and existential learning is directed at purifying the self (nafs) and the cultivation of certitude (yaqîn). A central aspiration in the learning process is to become an intimate friend of Allah (a walî), who embodies the prophetic presence (istihdâr al-nûr almuhammadiyya) and who by that presence directs other people to Islam. This article uncovers life and learning in a leading Islamic institution of learning and analyzes the processes of selftransformation and education that constitute the foundation for the rise of a walî. It is based on my work on the Bâ´Alawî tradition, one of the most influential Islamic traditions of learning and self-cultivation in the present age, since 2006 and in particular on my visit to the Islamic university Dar al-Mustafa in Yemen during the summer and the fall of 2011. The paradoxical tension between Sufism’s ideal of ascetic seclusion on one hand, and the extremely hectic and much courted social lifestyle of leading Sufis on the other, is discussed. It is suggested that the cultivation of a prophetic will to direct others to Islam is the key to understanding this tension.
Introduction: ‘Public Islam’ and the Nordic Welfare State: Changing Realities?
Authors: Mårtensson Ulrika
Published: February 2017

This is not a stand-alone article but the introduction to the special issue ‘Public Islam and the Nordic Welfare State: Changing Realities?’ The introduction surveys the emergence of the Nordic welfare state model with the Reformation and its development to the present day, focusing on religion, welfare and institutional order, and how national identities correspond and change with the institutional orders, as they develop. Included in this survey is the academic debate about de-secularization, actualized in the European and Nordic contexts by immigration of Muslims. It is argued that the Nordic states are moving towards an increasingly secularized institutional order and national identity, which in itself explains why Muslims are publicly perceived as a potentially problematic group.
Muslims in Copenhagen: Social Cohesion or a Parallel Society? Results from an Empirical Survey 2008–09
Authors: Hussain Mustafa
Published: February 2017

The Nørrebro sub-district of Copenhagen, where 14% of the population belong to ethnic minorities, mainly Muslim, has stood on the Danish media’s agenda for many years as a problem-ridden area, developing into a parallel society with ethnic ghettos, crime and deviancy among the second generation and lack of social cohesion and integration. This article introduces results from the survey ‘At Home in Europe: Muslims in the European Cities’ commissioned by the Open Society Institute, which examines the current policy and patterns of Muslim integration in eleven municipal districts of the seven metropolises of the EU countries. It argues that when measured across a range of parameters to ascertain the social, cultural and economic integration of the Muslim minorities, the empirical data and the documentary evidence gathered from, and about, the sub-district (2008-9) contradict the political claims and the media rhetoric of a parallel society.
Muslim Society Trondheim: A Local History
Authors: Mårtensson Ulrika , Eriksen Eli-Anne Vonngrave
Published: February 2017

The article describes and analyzes the founding and development of Muslim Society Trondheim (MST), a jâmi‘ mosque and Islamic organization in Norway’s third largest city, Trondheim. The aim is to explore the significance for integration policy on ‘active citizenship’ and two-way accommodation between majority and minority of MST’s dialogues with the church and public institutions, with reference to Casanova’s concept ‘de-privatized public religion’ and Roy’s ‘churchification of Islam’. Main findings are that the dialogue with the church was the one which achieved the best results in terms of two-way accommodation; that MST’s dialogues have contributed towards the city’s Muslims claiming their civil and human rights; and that because this does represent a ‘churchification’ of Islam, it does not make MST a case of ‘de-privatized public Islam’ in Casanova’s sense.
Harakî Salafism in Norway: ‘The Saved Sect’ Hugs the Infidels
Authors: Mårtensson Ulrika
Published: February 2017

The article is a study of the Norwegian Salafi organization Islam Net, which aims at defining Islam Net in terms of recent research on European Salafism and assessing its capacity for public civic engagement. With reference to de Certeau’s concept of discourse, and Habermas’ concepts of democratic legitimacy and religion in the public sphere, it is found that Islam Net’s capacity for civic engagement is severely restricted by its non-acceptance of human rights-based values, since this non-acceptance justifies for public institutions to deny the organization presence and refuse dialogue with Islam Net. From Habermas’ viewpoint this is a potential democratic deficiency, since it may weaken the legitimacy of democracy among Islam Net’s members.
Active Citizenship among Muslims in Sweden: From Minority Politics to Political Candidacy
Authors: Cato Johan , Otterbeck Jonas
Published: February 2017

Islam and Muslims are hot topics in politics. Muslims engaged in politics are accused of wanting to turn Sweden into an Islamic state; others try to find parallels between the Christian groups of political parties and Muslim interests. The article discusses the development in recent decades when individuals and organizations with an Islamic agenda have become politically active citizens. It looks at the different stages of initial organization and lobbying, and later, cooperation with established political actors. Finally, it discusses the individual candidacies in the 2010 election of some individuals who emphasized their Muslim identity
Når religion i skolen er "uproblematisk": Moderat sekularisme, civiliseringsidealer og "afslappede muslimer"
Authors: Gilliam Laura
Published: February 2017

Based on fieldwork in Yderbyskolen ‒ a Danish school with a majority of Muslim pupils ‒ this article looks into the ideals and practices characteristic of the way the Danish ‘folkeskole’ handles religion in school, and analyses their implications for youth of Muslim background. It argues that the ideals and practices are shaped by a moderate secularism, as well as ideals of civilised relations characteristic of the Danish school and society. These ideals prompt the teachers to consider children’s religion, as well as make religion and religious differences unimportant in school. While the teachers in Yderbyskolen have apparently succeeded in this effort, the ideals seem to entail certain understandings of acceptable religiousity and an idea of religious differences – especially between Islam and Christianity ‒ as potentially conflictual. This creates taboos and avoidance practices around religion and affects the role of both Christianity and Islam in school. It is argued that the way young people handle their Muslim identity and religiousity in school is shaped by these school norms of religiousity and their interaction with norms of behaviour established in the youth groups.
Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Islamic Philosophy
Authors: Bektovic Safet
Published: February 2017

In the aftermath of the cultural renaissance movement (naḥḍa), especially during the second half of the 20th century, philosophy succeeded in regaining the status it enjoyed in medieval times as an important part of the Muslim intellectual discourse. In recent decades, philosophical thought (falsafa) has gained more prominence and relevance, especially with regard to the Islamic debate about the role and function of the Islamic tradition in the contemporary modern world. In this debate, Muslim philosophers deal with various questions and issues, foremost among them: the concept of knowledge, the wider question of reform (iṣlāḥ), and the relationship between religion and secularism. How Muslim thinkers and philosophers understand the questions and how they answer them vary widely, depending on their methodological approach to these issues - metaphysics, historicity, hermeneutics, and deconstruction – as well as their different positions regarding the role of philosophy in relation to contemporary Islām in general and its role in understanding the Islamic tradition’s relation with modernity in particular. The aim of this paper is to shed some light on the methodological diversity in contemporary Muslim philosophy, through readings of the work of four thinkers.
Under the Gaze of Double Critique: De-colonisation, De-sacralisation and the Orphan Book
Authors: Sabih Joshua A.
Published: February 2017

Instead of the orientalist reformist paradigm as frame and episteme, Khatibi proposes a theory of double critique, critical liminality that targets, in a bi-directional movement, a Eurocentric or Orientalist discourse and an ethnocentric local discourse. Three critical concepts, constitutive of the theory of double critique: decolonisation, desacralisation and the orphan book are operative in Khatibi´s analysis of Orientalism, identity, and the issue of origin. As a professional outsider, Khatibi follows conceptually and methodologically the rules of the epistemological critique in an enunciation of negotiation, not of negation; a site of hybridity.
Muḥajababes. Meet the new fashionable, attractive and extrovert Muslim woman. A study of the ḥijābpractice among individualized young Muslim women in Denmark
Authors: Ismail Abir M.
Published: February 2017

This paper examines how individualization changes young Muslims women’s interpretation of the headscarf as a religious tradition in their everyday life. Based on observation and indepth interviews this paper studies the reflections and considerations that underlie the women's choice to wear the headscarf (ḥijāb), the message they want to send about themselves as a fashionable and attractive headscarf-wearing woman living in Denmark, and last but not least how their interpretations of the headscarf as a religious tradition differ from the theological ones. This study concludes that the individualization changes young Muslim women's interpretation of the ḥijāb by that their choice of wearing a ḥijāb arises not only from their willingness to commit to Islam, but to a greater degree from a desire to express beauty, maturity and individuality as a woman. The hijab gives them the ability to express their beauty as Muslim women, giving them the ability to signal openness, which, according to their beliefs, provides them with easier access to the majority society. Last but not least the ḥijāb becomes a matter of interpretation, not based on the traditional Islamic understandings of the ḥijāb, but on individual reflections and considerations that are largely influenced by contextual conditions characterized among other things by choice, personal autonomy, and authenticity
Islams komplethed (šumuliyyat al-Islam), kontinuitet eller brud?
Authors: El Zalaf Ahmed Abou
Published: February 2017

Foreliggende artikel hævder, at Hasan al-Banna (d. 1949) formulerede en politisk-islamisk ideologi, der blev anvendt som ramme for Det Muslimske Broderskabs mobilisering og udbredelse i det egyptiske samfund. Bevægelsen fortolkede islam som et komplet system og en livsfilosofi (šumuliyyat al-islam), der ifølge bevægelsens strategi skulle udgøre fundamentet for reform i Egypten såvel som i resten af den islamiske verden. Denne artikel vil diskutere, hvorvidt šumuliyyat al-islam (islams komplethed) repræsenterede et brud med det traditionelle islam, eller om denne ideologi i grunden udgjorde en fortsættelse af en lang tradition, hvor islam har været anskuet som et holistisk system. Dertil vil artiklen undersøge, hvordan ovenstående ideologi, blev italesat i en moderne kontekst. I den forbindelse vil artiklen demonstrere, hvilke koncepter Det Muslimske Broderskab adopterede fra de vestlige ideologier, og hvordan disse koncepter blev italesat som traditionelle islamiske koncepter for at fremhjælpe Broderskabets mobilisering i samfundet.
Trajectoires de l’usage de substances psychoactives chez les personnes lésées médullaires
Authors: Tétrault Myriane , Courtois Frédérique
Published: February 2017

Certains groupes sociaux afficheraient une plus forte prévalence de consommation de substances psychoactives que la population générale, comme c’est le cas pour les personnes ayant subi une blessure à la moelle épinière. Le premier objectif de cet article est d’évaluer la prévalence d’usage d’alcool, de drogues illicites et de médicaments psychotropes chez les personnes lésées médullaires en fonction du type de consommateurs. Le second objectif est d’évaluer l’évolution de l’usage selon les périodes précédant la lésion, de réadaptation fonctionnelle et de retour à domicile. Un échantillon de 85 adultes avec une lésion à la moelle épinière présentement au retour à domicile a été interviewé entre 2007 et 2008 à l’aide de la grille de dépistage/évaluation du besoin d’aide-Alcool et Drogues. Les résultats montrent que le nombre de consommateurs à haut risque d’alcool diminue de manière significative de la période précédant la lésion médullaire à celle du retour à domicile. Les résultats ne se sont pas avérés significatifs pour la consommation de drogues et de médicaments sédatifs. Les résultats sur la consommation réduite de SPA durant la période de réadaptation fonctionnelle soulèvent la nécessité de motiver les institutions à rester vigilantes sur la consommation de leurs bénéficiaires LM et les médecins sur leurs prescriptions de médicaments.
Parcours thérapeutique en dépendance : le rôle du réseau social des adolescents
Authors: Demers-Lessard Geneviève , Tremblay Joël , Turcotte Daniel
Published: February 2017

Plusieurs modèles de traitement ont démontré leur efficacité auprès des adolescents aux prises avec une consommation problématique de substances psychoactives. Cependant, un des problèmes majeurs demeure l’accès et la persévérance des jeunes en traitement. Le présent article explore le rôle du réseau social sur le parcours thérapeutique d’adolescents. Neuf jeunes âgés de 14 à 17 ans, recrutés au sein de services spécialisés en dépendance, ont été rencontrés dans le cadre de deux entrevues semi-structurées réalisées à environ trois mois d’intervalle. L’analyse de leurs propos suggère que les membres du réseau informel et ceux du réseau formel jouent un rôle déterminant sur la demande d’aide et la persévérance en traitement. Si les parents et les pairs peuvent tout aussi bien favoriser l’engagement que représenter des barrières au parcours, les intervenants professionnels ont généralement un rôle aidant. Cependant, ils gagnent à demeurer vigilants aux messages verbaux et non verbaux qu’ils envoient. L’étude fait ressortir l’importance d’identifier les alliés à l’engagement thérapeutique.
Cuando se genera una controversia sociocientífica, ¿aumenta su presencia de noticias en prensa local: el caso del agua en Almería
Authors: Díaz Moreno Naira Concepción
Published: February 2017

En este trabajo estudiamos qué relación existe entre las noticias controvertidas y su presencia en la prensa, examinando el caso concreto del agua en Almería. A través de una metodología variada realizamos el análisis documental, obteniendo una muestra representativa de un periodo normal y otra de un periodo controvertido que situamos en el periodo de mayor difusión de nuestro tópico. Los resultados muestran una escasa presencia para la muestra en estado normal y un abundante promedio diario para el periodo controvertido. Estos resultados y el diferente tratamiento de consensuado o controvertido nos permiten plantear la elección de dos noticias y una alternativa de uso en el aula diferente a las tradicionales propuestas de debates entre partidarios y detractores.