Essays
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IslamophobiaCriticism of religion? Blatant racism!
What a contradiction in terms! Thanks to the growing ethnicisation of religious affiliation and the religionisation of ethnicity, being both Muslim and German is often presented as something wholly incompatible. By Yasemin Shooman
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Germany's identity crisisGundogan and Ozil are not the problem!
The criticism of Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Ozil for meeting with Erdogan is justified, but the debate is about more than just human rights in Turkey. The real question is: how diverse does Germany want to be? Essay by Rene Wildangel
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Anti-SemitismThere is no tradition of anti-Semitism in Islam
Some are suggesting that Muslims are bringing anti-Semitism to Europe. However, it was in fact Europeans who took anti-Semitism to the Arab world in the first place. Diplomats in particular played an contemptible role. An essay by Professor Peter Wien
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U.S. policy on IranMiddle East nightmare – made in Washington
According to essayist and media scientist Khaled Hroub, the United States may be talking to North Korea, but it is actively seeking war between Saudi Arabia and Iran
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Tyranny in the Islamic worldKeeping the tribe alive
In this essay, Libyan author Faraj Alasha explains how Arab autocrats use tribal logic to run institutions of state, turning political parties into family clubs and loyalty to the country into loyalty to the head of the ruling clan
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The Iraq War fifteen years on"America destroyed my country"
Fifteen years ago, on 20 March 2003, the United States and its allies invaded Iraq. Iraqi novelist and poet Sinan Antoon describes the pain of watching his country disintegrate in the aftermath, made all the more acute since the perpetrators of this "colossal mistake" are still at large
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Neoliberalism and Iranʹs protest movementIt's the economy, stupid!
The protests in Iran, like those elsewhere, express the populationʹs grave socio-economic concerns and discontent over the regimeʹs reform plans. Report by Iranian sociologist Amin Bozorgian
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Mohammed bin Salman′s political agendaThe Saudi parable
Recently, every report on Saudi Arabia′s erratic foreign policy seems to end up concluding that the Kingdom is simply battling it out with Iran for dominance of the region. All this does is wrap the incomprehensible in pseudo-plausibility. By Charlotte Wiedemann
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Societal repression in EgyptThe tentacles of autocracy
The process of repression is outsourced to the citizenry who indirectly secure absolute power for the regime. Taking Egypt as an example, Maged Mandour describes this vicious circle, in which the masses are both the victims and the beneficiaries
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Arab response to Trump's Jerusalem decisionWalking a fine line
A little-noticed subtext to furious protests across the Middle East and North Africa against US President Donald J. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is simmering anger at Arab governments. An essay by James M. Dorsey