Qantara Startseite Englisch
-
Iranian "festival cinema"Made for Western critics?
For decades, directors like Abbas Kiarostami and Jafar Panahi have found success at the world's most prestigious film festivals. But some Iranian critics question whether international audiences reward films that challenge or reinforce Orientalist views of Iran.
-
Miss Syria 2026"For me, beauty is self-confidence and presence"
At this year’s Miss Arab World pageant, which took place in Cairo, Syria was represented by Muna Almohamad, who was born and raised in Germany. She wants to encourage women to be true to themselves and become more visible.
-
Christians in LebanonFighting to preserve Lebanon's wine tradition
Economic crisis and war have made winemaking in Lebanon difficult, pushing producers to rely on exports. But with its deep ties to Lebanese Christian identity, many are determined to keep making wine at home.
-
Afghans in Germany"Most of us feel betrayed"
Five years on from the fall of Kabul, the German government is cooperating with the Taliban. Mitra Hashemi from the German-Afghan Friendship Society talks about the Afghan community in Germany, a lack of recognition and responsibility towards their relatives in Afghanistan.
Politics
More about Politics-
General Amnesty LawA solution to Lebanon's prison crisis?
Thousands of inmates in Lebanon are held in overcrowded prisons under appalling conditions, many without a final verdict. A proposed law promises relief, but political and sectarian rivalries stand in the way.
-
DenaturalisationKuwait is stripping its leading intellectuals of citizenship
Up to 300,000 people in Kuwait have lost their citizenship in the last two years. What the authorities describe as a "correction" is leaving stars of the national cultural scene stateless. Among them is Talib al-Rifai, the "father of the Kuwaiti novel".
-
Syria after AssadStriking deals with the old elites
The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
-
Saudi sports policyThe limits of Saudi Arabia's football ambitions
Saudi Arabia has emerged as an influential player in the politics of international sports, particularly football. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted by the Kingdom, but war in the Gulf could be jeopardising its ambitious goals.
-
Israeli filmmaker Netalie Braun"There's room for everyone between the river and the sea"
What does it take to make anti-militarist cinema in a country where, as Netalie Braun puts it, the army "resides in the DNA of society"? In this interview, she discusses navigating censorship, boycotts and the challenges of imagining peace amid violence.
Society
More about Society-
New Faculty of Islamic Theology in Münster"Theology is opening up and engaging with society"
The University of Münster has established Europe's first Faculty of Islamic Theology. Dean Mouhanad Khorchide discusses the responsibility of theology, Europe's shift to the right and his ambition to influence the Islamic world.
-
Peace work in Lebanon"War is not an adventure playground"
Young people in Lebanon need to confront the country's violent past, says Christina Foerch-Saab of Fighters for Peace. Through visits to schools and universities with former combatants, she sees attitudes beginning to shift, even amid renewed escalation.
-
Gaza health crisisLiving between sewage and rubble
Israel’s war on Gaza has displaced hundreds of thousands and destroyed the territory’s sanitation system. Mohamed Solaimane reports from Khan Younis on how harsh conditions in displacement camps are fuelling disease, especially among children.
-
Iraq's Anfal campaignThe survivor who brought her torturer to justice
After decades in hiding, the head of a notorious prison during the 1988 campaign against Iraq's Kurds has been sentenced to death. For survivor Fazila Mohammad, who helped identify him, the verdict is a milestone, but not the end.
-
Libyan commander at the ICCThe "angel of death" on trial
The ICC has confirmed charges against Khaled El Hishri, accused of crimes against humanity at Tripoli's Mitiga prison. The first Libyan suspect to appear before the court, his trial could expose a wider system of abuse affecting Libyans, migrants and refugees.
Culture
More about Culture-
Syrian-German director Anis Hamdoun"Theatre should represent Syrians in all their diversity"
Born into a prominent theatre family in Homs, Anis Hamdoun rebuilt his career in Germany from scratch after leaving Syria in 2012. The director and playwright reflects on life between cultural worlds and the future of Syrian theatre.
-
Egyptian film "Asad"Slave drama sparks debate on national identity
In Egypt, a historical film has sparked a present-day controversy, with critics accusing "Asad" of distorting the past and promoting Afrocentric narratives. Beneath the political rhetoric, however, lies a deeper cultural dispute.
-
Iranian author Shahrnush ParsipurWriting in defiance
With the death of Shahrnush Parsipur, Iran has lost one of its most indomitable literary voices. The author of "Women Without Men" confronted censorship and oppression throughout her life. Most recently, she refused to glorify the war against Iran as a liberation.
-
Lebanese literature in translationThe rediscovery of Alis al-Bustani
Published in 1891, Alis al-Bustani's only novel "Sa'iba" dismantles the comforting assumptions of Arab modernity. A new translation restores to view a woman writer long consigned to obscurity.
-
Islamic history scholar Sabine Schmidtke"The Holocaust reshaped knowledge production about Islam"
Hedwig Klein's life and scholarship were cut short by the Holocaust in 1942. In her new book, Sabine Schmidtke traces Klein's intellectual legacy and sets the record straight on her involvement in Hans Wehr's Arabic dictionary.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
-
Israel's high-tech warfare
A new era of automated violence
-
Afghans in Germany
"Most of us feel betrayed"
-
Gaza health crisis
Living between sewage and rubble
-
Women in Saudi Arabia
Caught in a System of Gender Apartheid
-
Sex tourism in Egypt
A bride for the summer
-
Christians in Lebanon
Fighting to preserve Lebanon's wine tradition