Ahmad Mansour (Author)

Ahmad Mansour (2018)

Ahmad Mansour ( Levantine-Arabic : [ˈʔaħmad manˈsˤuːɾ] ; born July 2, 1976 in Tira near Kfar Saba , Israel ) is a German-Israeli psychologist and author . He has lived in Germany since 2004 and has had German citizenship since 2017 . He deals with projects and initiatives against radicalization , repression in the name of honor and anti-Semitism in the Islamic community.

Life

Ahmad Mansour was born in 1976 to Arab Israelis in the small Arab town of Tira. He grew up in a non-practicing Muslim family. During his school days he came into contact with a fundamentalist imam , which almost turned him into an Islamist. His psychology studies (1996–1999) in Tel Aviv helped him break away from Islamism.

After witnessing an attack, he went to Germany in 2004 and continued his studies in Berlin in 2005 . Since 2015 he has been working as a research assistant at the Center for Democratic Culture in Berlin and as an advisory program director at the European Foundation for Democracy in Brussels . His work focuses on Salafism , anti-Semitism as well as psychosocial issues and problems with migrants of Muslim origin. Since 2007 he has also been the group leader of the Berlin anti-violence project HEROES , which actively opposes any “oppression in the name of honor”. From 2012 to 2014 Mansour was a participant in the German Islam Conference .

Since 2017 he has been managing director of the Mansour Initiative for the Promotion of Democracy and the Prevention of Extremism (MIND) GmbH based in Berlin , whose projects are funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Integration , among others .

Mansour is married and has one daughter. He lives and works in Berlin. He has been a German citizen since 2017.

Work areas

Oppression in the name of honor

Mansour has been the group leader of the HEROES project in Berlin-Neukölln since 2007 . The project is aimed at young people living in Germany from milieus with strictly honor cultural structures and is intended to promote equality and self-determination . Mansour is often featured in the media about his experiences with Heroes and on the subject of repression in the name of honor.

Islam and Islamism

Mansour advocates an internal reform of Islam, which, with its inconspicuous, apparently democratic appearance, forms a breeding ground for the radicalization of young people. An inner-Islamic debate about the content of beliefs and the self-image of a contemporary Islam must be initiated, but this has so far been avoided. The Islamic associations distance themselves from the violence, participation in preventive programs fails because of the unwillingness to “question their own content and face up to their own problems.” So there are no spiritual role models that stand for an unequivocally democratic Islam. Work with the families of young people at risk is also the basis of effective prevention. A patriarchal-conservative family structure with fear pedagogy, sexual and criticism suppression, a stereotypical image of women and men favor that young people can be appropriated by radical groups. Likewise, the traditional fixation on the supposed victim role of Islamic believers in the western world and the corresponding enemy image encourages radical Islamists to take hold.

As an expert on Islamism, he is invited to seminars and workshops for educators and social workers across Germany. Since 2013 he has also been working for Hayat (spelling: HAYAT), a Berlin counseling center against radicalization. Hayat is aimed at everyone who is concerned about a possible Islamist change of faith by relatives or acquaintances. Mansour can often speak in the media about the politico-religious radicalization process, for example about the attraction of the Syrian civil war to radical young people or about his experience as a consultant at Hayat .

Mansour considers the increased religiosity among Muslim youth to be a socio-cultural phenomenon that can be compared in part with a youth culture. With the term “Generation Allah” he speaks of a current youth tendency to derive identity from religion. According to Mansour, making sexuality taboo plays a key role in the radicalization of young people.

Mansour is the spokesman for the Muslim Forum Germany, which was founded in 2015 .

anti-Semitism

Ahmad Mansour is known for his work against Islamic anti-Semitism . When he was studying in Tel Aviv, he worked on various projects for peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Jews. After the attack on Rabbi Daniel Alter in Berlin in August 2012, Mansour pleaded at the Federal Agency for Civic Education and at the plenary session of the German Islam Conference 2013 for more education about Muslim anti-Semitism. In 2013 he was a co-producer and commentator in the ARD report Anti-Semitism Today: How Anti-Semitic is Germany? . In an interview in July 2014, he complained that anti-Semitic hatred and conspiracy theories were imparted to children in many Muslim families.

controversy

Ahmad Mansour has been working for the Islamism advice center Hayat since 2009 . As part of her deradicalization work, Hayat worked in 2014 a. a. with the Salafist Imam Abu Adam alias Hesham Shashaa. With taxpayers' money, young people were sent to deradicalise the imam who lives in Spain with four women and 15 children and has been in prison since April 2017. The Spanish authorities accuse Abu Adam of being a member of IS and of having obtained money and false papers from IS terrorists. Mansour spoke out against such a cooperation in principle and did not work with Abu Adam himself.

In an open letter dated July 27, 2016, the psychologist Ibrahim Rüschoff warned Ahmad Mansour that everything a Muslim does in this world can be traced back to his religion. He wrote: “When I anonymize and juxtapose the biographies of a Coptic Egyptian, a Lebanese Druze, an Orthodox Greek, a Catholic Sicilian or Andalusian and a Muslim Moroccan, all of them Mediterranean and simple rural residents, I assure you that you cannot say more who has which religion! All of them have almost identical problems, only with one in his Islamic environment and with the other in the arch-Catholic village milieu. ”The editor of the papers for German and international politics , Katajun Amirpur , criticized Mansour for being typical of renegades He shows fundamentalism when, for example, in an interview he claims “the content of IS is based on mainstream Islam, which many Muslims practice in Germany”.

Awards

• 2012: The Berlin Rabbi Daniel Alter dedicated his Bambi Prize for Integration to Ahmad Mansour and the Berlin Heroes project .
• 2013: Ramer Award for Courage in the Defense of Democracy from the AJC Berlin Ramer Institute for German Jewish Relations
• 2014: Moses Mendelssohn Prize from the Berlin Senate
• 2015: Josef Neuberger Medal of the Düsseldorf Jewish Community (together with Hamed Abdel-Samad )
• 2016: Carl von Ossietzky Prize of the City of Oldenburg for contemporary history and politics
• 2016: Ambassador for Democracy and Tolerance 2016 of the Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance / Federal Agency for Civic Education
• 2016: Order of Merit of the State of Berlin , awarded by the Berlin Senate
• 2017: Joseph-Süß-Oppenheimer -Award from the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg and the Israelite religious community Württemberg (IRGW) (together with Tovia Ben-Chorin )
• 2019: Human rights award from the Gerhart and Renate Baum Foundation
• 2019: Theodor Lessing Prize of the German-Israeli Society (DIG) Hanover
• 2019: Karl Carstens Prize

Publications

Books

• Co-author of: Violence in the Name of Honor. Published by Nina Scholz, Passagen Verlag , Vienna 2014, ISBN 978-3-7092-0144-2 .
• Generation Allah. Why we need to rethink the fight against religious extremism. S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt 2015, ISBN 978-3-10-002446-6 .
• Plain text for integration. Against false tolerance and scaremongering. S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2018, ISBN 978-3-10-397387-7 .

Scientific Article

• Suppression in the name of honor: definition, cause and possible approaches to prevention. In: Practice of gender-sensitive and intercultural education , Springer Fachmedien, Wiesbaden 2013, ISBN 978-3-531-19798-2 , pp. 143–153, doi : 10.1007 / 978-3-531-19799-9_9 .
• Thalma E. Lobel, Sharon Mashraki-Pedhatzur, Ahmed Mantzur [sic], Sharon Libby: Gender Discrimination as a Function of Stereotypic and Counterstereotypic Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Study . In: Sex Roles. A Journal of Research , vol. 43, no. 5/6, 2000, p. 395-406, doi: 10.1023 / A: 1026603511217 .

Brochures, magazines

• Co-author in: "The ideal Turk". The ultra-nationalism of the gray wolves in Germany. ( Memento from November 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Series of publications in the Center for Democratic Culture. Berlin, November 2013.
• Educational prevention work against Salafism. In: Contents and results of the conference: Salafism in Germany. Forms and approaches for prevention work in the youth sector. Ed. City of Cologne and Alevi Congregation Germany e. V., October 2013, pp. 22–38.
• Co-author in: I only live for Allah. Arguments and Attractiveness of Salafism. ( Memento from November 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Series of publications in the Center for Democratic Culture. Berlin, September 29, 2011.
• with Hanne Thoma: The Middle East conflict as a projection screen. Objectives of educational work with young people with a Turkish, Arab or Palestinian family background. In: amira - Antisemitism in the context of migration and racism (ed.): Pedagogical approaches for dealing with anti-Semitism in youth work. Berlin, August 2010, pp. 27–32.
• with Jenny Breidenstein: We speak their language: HEROES - Against oppression in the name of honor. An equality project by Strohhalm e. V. In: Pro Jugend , (2010) 2, pp. 13–16, trade journal of the Youth Protection Campaign, Landesarbeitsstelle Bayern e. V., data set .

Press article

• (together with Cem Özdemir ): What we can ask of immigrants
  (guest article, FASZ August 28, 2016)
• "Suppressed sexuality plays a key role in radicalization"
  Ahmad Mansour in an interview with Christian Rabhansl on Deutschlandfunk Kultur, August 13, 2016
• Now between us. In: Der Spiegel , January 17, 2015.
• Salafist radicalization - and what can be done about it.
  In: Federal Agency for Civic Education , October 22, 2014.
• Purity, honor, contempt for death. In: Der Spiegel , September 8, 2014.
• Hamas wants dead on its own side.
  In: Die Welt , July 13, 2014.
• Against a pedagogy of incapacitation. In: FAZ , February 28, 2014.

Movies

• Can radicalization be prevented? Talk, Germany, 2014, 1:35 min., Moderation: Abdul-Ahmad Rashid, production: ZDF , series: Forum am Freitag , first broadcast: 19 September 2014 on ZDF, table of contents and online video from ZDF.
• Anti-Semitism today - how hostile to Jews is Germany? TV report, Germany, 2013, 43:50 min., Script and direction: Jo Goll, Ahmad Mansour and Kirsten Esch, production: ARD , RBB , first broadcast: October 28, 2013 in Das Erste .

Web links

Commons : Ahmad Mansour  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Literature by and about Ahmad Mansour in the catalog of the German National Library
• Website from Ahmad Mansour
• Ahmad Mansour profile at the European Foundation for Democracy
• HEROES (Berlin)
• MIND prevention - Internet site of the Mansour Initiative for the Promotion of Democracy and the Prevention of Extremism (MIND) GmbH

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Ahmad Mansour. ( Memento from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) In: ahmad-mansour.com .
2. ↑ ^{a b} Interview on nw.de from March 30, 2017, accessed on June 29, 2017.
3. ↑ Ahmad Mansour: "I was once an Islamist" In: Der Tagesspiegel , March 23, 2013.
4. ↑ Offers. ( Memento of the original from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The  archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Heroes , accessed February 17, 2015.
5. ↑ Ahmad Mansour. Programs Director. Biography. In: European Foundation for Democracy , accessed on February 17, 2015.
6. ↑ Participants 2009-2013. ( Memento of the original from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The  archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: German Islam Conference , accessed on February 17, 2015.
7. ↑ https://www.mind-prevention.com
8. ↑ https://www.km.bayern.de/pressemitteilung/11087/nr-014-vom-14-01-2018.html
9. ↑ Reinhard Tschapke: A dream comes true for Ahmad Mansour. In: Nordwest-Zeitung . May 4, 2016, accessed May 21, 2018 . 
10. ↑ The HEROES team. HEROES group leader ( Memento from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) , accessed on February 17, 2015.
11. ↑ Ahmad Mansour: "If my brother hits me, it hardens me" . In: Die Zeit , February 27, 2013.
12. ↑ Jörg Lau : Why only Muslims can defeat Salafism. In: Die Zeit , May 29, 2012.
13. ↑ Michèle Binswanger : "Salafism is a youth culture" . In: Tages-Anzeiger , September 17, 2014 (interview).
14. ↑ Ahmad Mansour: Purity, Honor, Contempt for Death . In: Der Spiegel . No. 37 , 2014, p. 110-111 ( online ).
15. ↑ Parvin Sadigh: The content of IS is based on mainstream Islam . In: Die Zeit , September 5, 2014 (interview).
16. ↑ Federal City of Bonn - Integration Unit: Phenomena of radicalization among young people: Seminar for educational professionals with Ahmad Mansour ( Memento from June 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive ). January 24, 2013.
17. ^ Frank Vallender: Salafism in Bonn Radical preachers recruit young people . In: Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger , October 2, 2013.
18. ↑ Conveying values ​​in school. (No longer available online.) Diesterweg-Gymnasium, archived from the original on April 2, 2015 ; Retrieved April 19, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
19. ↑ Ahmad Mansour: About me. ( Memento of the original from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The  archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: ahmad-mansour.com , accessed on February 17, 2015.
20. ↑ Mom, I am fighting for Allah now. In: Die Zeit , November 7, 2013.
21. ↑ Julian Windisch: Allah's young recruits. In: Das Arte Magazin , May 5, 2015. Accessed June 22, 2015.
22. ↑ Suppressed sexuality plays a key role in radicalization . Deutschlandfunk , August 13, 2016 (interview).
23. ^ Muslim Forum Germany: Founding Declaration .
24. ↑ Ahmad Mansour: Anti-Semitism among Muslim youth. We need more education! In: Federal Agency for Civic Education , November 13, 2012.
25. ↑ Statement by Ahmad Mansour at the 2013 plenary session. In: German Islam Conference , May 22, 2013.
26. ^ ^{A b} Jo Goll, Ahmad Mansour and Kirsten Esch: the story. Anti-Semitism today: how hostile to Jews is Germany? In: ARD , rbb , October 28, 2013.
27. ↑ Antonie Rietzschel: "The hatred is completely out of control." In: Süddeutsche.de , July 23, 2014, interview with Mansour.
28. ↑ hayat-deutschland.de: employees
29. ^ TAZ - Daniel Bax: Cooperation with a radical preacher. Retrieved January 5, 2018 . 
30. ↑ Daniel Bax: Alleged IS preacher: "He can get hold of young people" . In: The daily newspaper: taz . September 19, 2017, ISSN  0931-9085 ( taz.de [accessed on March 13, 2018]).
31. ↑ Open letter to Ahmad Mansour. In: Islamic Newspaper . Retrieved January 7, 2018 . 
32. ↑ Katajun Amirpur : "Islam equals violence" - the fatal consonance of warriors and critics. In: Sheets for German and international politics . Issue 1/2015, pp. 49-55, accessed on February 1, 2018.
33. ↑ Freia Peters: "For me, this is a hero in the 21st century." In: Die Welt , December 23, 2012.
34. ^ AJC Celebrates 15th Anniversary of Groundbreaking Berlin Office. ( Memento from February 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) In: American Jewish Committee , February 4, 2013, accessed February 17, 2015. ddk: 15 years AJC in Berlin. In: Jüdische Allgemeine , February 1, 2013.
    
35. ↑ Stephan-Andreas Casdorff : Ahmad Mansour - a Muslim who fights anti-Semitism. In: Der Tagesspiegel , September 18, 2014.
36. ↑ Philipp Peyman Engel: Engagement against anti-Semitism. In: Jüdische Allgemeine . March 5, 2015, accessed September 13, 2015 . 
37. ↑ Carl von Ossietzky Prize 2016 goes to Ahmad Mansour ( Memento of the original from December 28, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , City of Oldenburg from January 19, 2016, accessed January 21, 2016. 
38. ↑ Press release from the Federal Agency for Civic Education, accessed on June 1, 2016
39. ↑ Video with the BfDT Ambassador for Democracy and Tolerance 2016 - Ahmad Mansour, source: BfDT YouTube channel, accessed on June 1, 2016
40. ↑ Order of Merit awarded by the State of Berlin , City of Berlin from October 1, 2016, accessed on October 27, 2016.
41. ↑ https://www.landtag-bw.de/home/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2017/september/972017.html
42. ↑ Islam expert sees “Generation Allah” growing up , review in Der Tagesspiegel from February 5, 2019, accessed February 11, 2019