Essays
-
Hate propaganda in IndiaModi opponents labelled 'anti-national'
Aggressive propaganda is increasingly distorting public debate in India. Government agencies tolerate and sometimes even promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu chauvinism. Those daring to criticise the government face intimidation, harassment and suppression. By Arfa Khanum Sherwani
-
War in Ukraine and the WestPutin's fight and our illusions
Faced with Russia's war against Ukraine, "the West" is once again getting tangled up in its own propaganda, invoking the threat of a clash of civilisations when it comes to the question as to which side Ukraine belongs. An essay by Stefan Weidner
-
Morocco's billionaire PMBusiness elite stifles politics
Led by billionaire Aziz Akhannouch, Morocco's new government – elected in September 2021 – has adopted a business mindset. Faced with little parliamentary opposition, the administration also has little to fear from critical media, the last independent journalists having been consigned to jail. Commentary by Mohamed Taifouri
-
Ukraine warThe deep desire to declare a state of emergency
Russia's attack on Ukraine took Germany by surprise. The "end of an era" has shifted the political focus to the military, bringing back stale memories of the Western response to the attacks of 9/11. Essay by Stefan Buchen
-
Russia's interventions in Ukraine and SyriaWhat drives Putin is evident from Syria
Anyone wishing to know how far Putin will go in Ukraine should look to Syria. There, the Kremlin has been successfully asserting its own interests for years – with military ruthlessness, diplomatic pressure, brazen propaganda and tactical agility. Commentary by Kristin Helberg
-
Tunisia's ex-president Moncef MarzoukiThe conscience of the Arab Spring
Moncef Marzouki was Tunisia's first democratically elected president after the fall of dictator Ben Ali. Today he is the most prominent critic of increasingly counter-revolutionary developments under President Kais Saied. Commentary by Ali Anouzla
-
TurkeyErdogan's search for partners in the Middle East
Ankara is seeking to improve its relations with several states in the Middle East – such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Israel. There are several reasons for this. Meanwhile, those being approached are not averse to the idea. By Kersten Knipp
-
Egypt's National Human Rights StrategyPropaganda tailored to the U.S.?
Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's National Human Rights Strategy smacks of the containment and sabotage tactics adopted by counter-revolutionaries during Egypt's 2011 revolution and its aftermath. Taqadum al-Khatib assesses the situation for Qantara.de
-
Islamic scholar Mathias Rohe on the muezzin call"Traditional religious practice is not political Islam"
Since the German city of Cologne launched a two-year model project to allow Muslim communities to perform the call to prayer, there has been much heated public debate on the issue. Islamic scholar and law professor Mathias Rohe examines the arguments
-
Germany: Controversy surrounding journalist with Palestinian rootsThe lost honour of Nemi El-Hassan
On 10 September, WDR, the public broadcaster in Germany's most populous western state, introduced the 28-year-old journalist Nemi El-Hassan as the new presenter of its popular and respected science programme "Quarks". Then German tabloid giant "Bild" got involved and everything changed. A commentary by Stefan Buchen