Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Leftist politics in Syria"I don't care whether Marx or Muhammad takes the credit"
Since Assad's fall in December 2024, Syrians have witnessed both displays of unity and renewed sectarian violence. A national identity that transcends sect and ideology is the key to a stable future, says Syrian leftist Sami Hadaya.
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Islamic theologyAgainst toxic masculinity
Islamic and Christian theologians at the University of Münster are analysing concepts of masculinity. Their research brings together religious and social scientific findings, ensuring the conversation isn't left only to social media influencers.
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Egyptian cinemaThree films on memory, loss and state violence
At this year's ALFILM Festival in Berlin, a unique trio of Egyptian films explored the impacts of trauma and authoritarian rule on everyday lives. A review of "Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo", "Perfumed with Mint" and "Abo Zaabal 89".
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Filmmaker Monika Borgmann"Syria needs a culture of justice"
Monika Borgmann has spent decades documenting Lebanese and Syrian prison systems. Her 2016 film "Tadmor" found new resonance after Assad's fall. She discusses Syria's future and her fight for justice after the murder of her husband, activist Lokman Slim.
Politics
More about Politics-
Weapons exports to Israel"Unlawful arms export licences have likely been issued"
Germany remains one of Israel's top arms suppliers, a situation likely to persist under Friedrich Merz. According to Lilian Löwenbrück from the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, politicians and manufacturers could face charges for complicity in crimes against international law.
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Germany's new governmentMerz, Netanyahu and the reason of state
Under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Germany is expected to double down on its support for Israel, even if it means sidelining international law. Domestically, repression of Israel's critics is set to intensify.
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Pankaj Mishra on Germany, Israel and Palestine"An anarchic, nihilistic world"
The West, particularly Germany, has instrumentalised Holocaust remembrance to justify state violence, argues Pankaj Mishra. A conversation on suppressed colonial histories, Western complicity in Gaza and Germany's role in the erosion of international law.
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Anti-Erdoğan protestsTurkey at the crossroads
The March arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has sparked widespread protests demanding his release and fresh presidential elections. Successful or not, the protests point to a changing face of Turkish society.
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Two years of war in SudanA fractured nation on the brink of partition
Two years in, Sudan's war shows no signs of resolution. As both sides push to establish rival governments, civilians bear the brunt of the violence, and national divisions threaten to become permanent.
Society
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Journalists in GazaA new generation bears witness
A new cohort of young Palestinian journalists has emerged in Gaza, reshaping the narrative and exposing the failures of Western media. This influence has come at a cost: 232 journalists have been killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023.
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Afghans in PakistanRuthless displacement
Pakistan's border with Afghanistan is the site of one of the largest mass displacements in modern times. Since 2023, more than a million Afghans—many of whom lived in Pakistan for decades—have been forced to return to a country where they face few prospects.
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Displacement in GazaA whole life in one bag
The Israeli offensive in Gaza has displaced thousands of people multiple times. Many carry with them a single bag containing identity documents, a few personal belongings and traces of the lives they left behind.
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Islam and language activismThe politics of Qur'an translation
Around the world, the Qur'an is being translated into marginalised languages, reflecting a global trend toward preserving cultural heritage. These translations often serve political goals, but can also save endangered languages from extinction.
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Christians in SyriaFear lingers in an ancient community
In the predominantly Christian town of Maaloula, residents hold differing views on al-Sharaa and the safety of their community in the new Syria. For many, memories of the 2013 Nusra Front attack remain—and mistrust runs deep.
Culture
More about Culture-
Egyptian author Youssef Rakha"The Cairo I've known is being eroded"
Youssef Rakha revisits Egypt's 2011 uprising and its aftermath in "The Dissenters", the author's first novel written in English. The Arab Spring failed, he argues in this interview, because it was a neoliberal movement with no compelling vision for the future.
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"Live in the Khaleej!" by Boom.DiwanA love letter to an ancient tradition
Boom.Diwan's album with Arturo O'Farrill fuses Kuwaiti pearl diving music with jazz, shedding light on the Gulf region's complex musical and social history.
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Cairo's Jewish QuarterThe neighbourhood that shaped a nation
In his new book, Egyptian author Ahmed Zakaria Zaki explores the 19th-century history of Cairo's Jewish Quarter, tracing the social transformations within the city's Jewish community and its reaction to the emergent Zionist movement.
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New anthology "Imprisoning a Revolution"Egypt's political prisoners speak
A new anthology gathers the words, drawings and memories of Egyptian prisoners—some well-known, many anonymous—who document life inside the carceral state.
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"Khartoum" filmmakers"We have a responsibility to preserve Sudanese history"
"Khartoum" blends the work of four emerging Sudanese filmmakers. Its production was derailed by the outbreak of war in April 2023. Now displaced in Nairobi, directors Brahim Snoopy and Rawia Alhag explain why they were determined to finish the film.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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Israelis for Peace in Berlin
"Anything is better than Netanyahu"
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Sex tourism in Egypt
A bride for the summer
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Islamic theology
Against toxic masculinity
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Palestinian director Dima Hamdan
"There is no pride when gay men are blackmailed"
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Filmmaker Monika Borgmann
"Syria needs a culture of justice"
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How German textbooks present Islam and immigration
"Diversity is part of everyday life"