Contemporary methods of interpreting the Koran are increasingly subject to critical discussion. Erhard Brunn was at a scholarly symposium in Germany, where participants doggedly argued over authoritative interpretations of the Koran
Since the controversial presidential election last June, Iranian musicians of all genres have created a multi-layered song repertoire. Their songs are an attempt to come to terms with the bloody suppression of the opposition and demands for political freedom in Iran. By Jan Engelhardt