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Bax, Daniel
4 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Germany's symbolic policies on integration
The German government wants to employ more people with foreign backgrounds in the public sector, according to a new "national action plan" presented by Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday. The left-leaning daily taz sees this as symbolic politics lacking in substance: "For the German government integration is basically limited to making it easier for immigrants and their children to learn the German language. ... But within the education system and on the job market the situation for migrants has barely improved. On the contrary: ... the German government decided at one point to tighten the legislation on spouses joining migrants working in Germany, which above all discriminated against immigrants from Turkey. Another time Merkel unceremoniously announced that multiculturalism had failed. ... It would be far more productive to work to reduce the structures and prejudices that prevent true equality. Symbolic gestures of good will aren't enough in the long term."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Migration, » Germany
Pope washes his hands in innocence
The left-leaning daily die tageszeitung comments on the Pope's insistence that Bishop Richard Williamson retract his denial of the Holocaust: "Benedict has made abundantly clear that he himself in no way endorses the denial of the mass murder of the Jews. By calling on Williamson to retract his controversial statements on the Holocaust 'in unequivocal terms' if he wants to be fully rehabilitated as a Catholic bishop, he has just managed to avoid incrimination himself. In maintaining that he had known nothing of these statements, the Pope washes his hands in innocence. And by leaving it to Williamson to jump over his shadow, he is trying to limit the damage to a minimum. In this way he has at least been able to reestablish his wounded authority, at least for the time being."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Weltanschauung, » United Kingdom, » Italy
The voice of conservative Muslims in Germany
Daniel Bax welcomes that fact that several Muslim associations in Germany have united to form a coordination council, although he notes that the council is still far from representing all Muslims living in Germany - "just as trade unions don't represent all workers and churches don't represent all Christians". Nonetheless, says Bax: "When [the Muslims] speak out with 'one voice' in future, it will be regarding important issues such as who is to teach the Islamic religion to their children in future and who will represent 'the Muslims' on the broadcasting council. Under Germany's canon law, German politics requires a Muslim representative body for dealing with all these issues. Now it has one. That the new coordination council represents the more conservative Muslims was virtually inevitable and isn't such a tragedy. After all we're talking about those Muslims for whom the religious education of their children is important. And isn't it better if these children receive their religious education at state schools rather than in Koran courses which are not subject to any kind of control?
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Religion, » Integration, » Weltanschauung, » Germany
Portrait of musician Amparo Sanchez
Daniel Bax portrays Barcelona-based musician Amparo Sanchez and her band, Amparanoia: "Amparo Sanchez is one of the key figures of the so-called Mestizo scene - the musical genre that blends reggae, ska-punk and Latin American sounds and has become hugely popular in Southern Europe and Latin America. So far she is one of the few women who has been able to make a name for herself in this genre. That's why for some people she's the 'queen of Mestizo'."
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More from the press review on the subject » Culture, » Spain
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