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Atheism in the Arab World

The dictators' scourge: Of 'heresy' and humanists

Posing as guardians of the faith, many Arabic regimes abuse their religious power in order to compensate for their states′ lack of democratic legitimacy. Hardly surprising, then, that they regard as atheism as an existential danger. Essay by Brian Whitaker
The Virtual Iftar Project

"It is harder to ignore, vilify or harm those with whom we have broken bread"

The Virtual Dinner Guest Project is an international multimedia initiative that brings people across various cultures together at the dinner table. Breaking bread and barriers in one go, this platform launched the Virtual Iftar Project across Europe during the month of Ramadan, which has just ended. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to the project founder, Eric Maddox, about the project and about cultural tension between Muslims and non-Muslims
Literary power politics

Spotlight on the UAE's 30th Abu Dhabi Book Fair

They’ve already got the Louvre; they’ll soon have a Guggenheim Museum as well – and now the Emirates have added literature to their quest for cultural supremacy in the Arab world. Stefan Weidner reports from Abu Dhabi, from the first book fair of this year to take place in person
Interview

Two Cultures and Everyday Life

"I knew nothing about the Middle East," admits Michael Kleeberg. Abbas Beydoun taught him about the complexity of the Arab world. During the visit, Beydoun went out and experienced everyday life in Berlin. This is about an intercultural encounter with literary ambitions.
Book review: Mohamed Elshahed's "Cairo Since 1900"

In pursuit of other modernisms

Cairo is often described as an ancient city, full of wonders that are thousands of years old. Yet Mohamed Elshahed persuasively argues, in the newly released "Cairo Since 1900: An Architectural Guide", that the city we see today was largely shaped by twentieth-century concerns. By Marcia Lynx Qualey
Exclusive – Germany's universal jurisdiction

The chances of indicting Syria's Assad for war crimes

Investigations by German federal prosecutors into the evidence of chemical warfare in Syria are ongoing. Deutsche Welle and Der Spiegel gained exclusive access to witnesses and documents that form part of the landmark inquiry. By Lewis Sanders IV, Birgitta Schulke-Gill & Julia Bayer
Municipal administration for beginners

Local authorities in Germany offer traineeships to Syrians

Twenty-five Syrian refugees were accepted onto a one-year trainee programme in municipal administration with seven German local authorities. As it turns out, the Syrians were not the only ones to benefit. Claudia Mende reports
Non-fiction: ″Scents & Flavors: A Syrian Cookbook″

Muslim master chefs

This latest in historical culinary literature is guaranteed to appeal to avid collectors and adventurous chefs alike. As Marcia Lynx Qualey discovered, ″Scents & Flavors: A Syrian Cookbook″, presented side by side in English and Arabic, has much to tempt and inspire even relatively inexperienced 21st century cooks
One hundred years of Jordan

"A land for all Arabs" turned Middle East anchor of stability

Founded in 1921 as a temporary solution, Jordan managed to establish itself as one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. The inclusive and flexible approach taken by the state’s founder Abdullah and his successors doubtless contributed to this stability. But the centennial celebrations of the Hashemite Kingdom are overshadowed by an economic crisis and deadlock over political reform. By Edmund Ratka
Amman and The Teachers' Syndicate

Free speech for everybody? Not so in Jordan, apparently

In recent weeks, Jordan's social media has been awash with photos and videos of demonstrators gathering in cities all over the country, chanting "Long live the teacher" and "we will not be silenced". Mainstream media coverage, however, has been noticeably lacking. By Marta Vidal