How does Islam differ from Islamist movements? What are the specific characteristics of Islamism in contrast to the liberal script? Why does Islamism play such an important role, in particular in the MENA region? To what extent do Islamist parties act as constructive political interlocutors? And how can German Foreign Policy respond to these dynamics, especially with regard to policies such as Feminist Foreign Policy?

Prof. Dr. Gudrun Krämer participated in an internal discussion round of the Federal Foreign Office’s department 3 which is responsible for diplomatic relations with countries in Africa, Latin America and in the MENA-region. Her impulse about the role of Islam and Islamism in the MENA-region and beyond was followed by a lively discussion on specific political and diplomatic aspects of Islamism.

The internal discussion series comprises regular exchanges between representatives of SCRIPTS and the German Federal Foreign Office. The Chatham House Rule is applied to these rounds. When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, is revealed.