Society
Topics
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Islam's holy monthWhy more non-Muslims are taking part in Ramadan
Ramadan's observance is widespread in the Middle East, often involving non-Muslims in the region's celebrations. In Christian-majority countries, participation has been less common, but this trend is starting to shift
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The story of a young artist in GazaWhen the pain begins to draw
Drawing on the walls of buildings in the Gaza Strip is a way for 21-year-old artist Menna Hamouda to express the trauma inflicted by five months of pain and destruction
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Israeli–Palestinian dialogueIsraelis and Palestinians team up in Germany to help Gazans
In Germany, a unique Israeli–Palestinian initiative is helping to organise urgently needed sanitary facilities and shelter for people in Gaza. Its members say that taking action in this way helps them deal with the anxiety they feel as a result of the conflict. Their group also shows that dialogue is possible even in difficult times
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Rumi, mystic and poetMessage of love: Qantara series on the 750th anniversary of Rumi's death
Even after seven and a half centuries, Rumi's verses have lost nothing of their depth and transformative power. A series of articles by Qantara.de marking the 750th anniversary of the death of the Persian poet Rumi
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Women in IraqBreaking down barriers and pushing for independence
After two incredibly tough decades for women since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, it is now cool to be young and female in Iraq. A report from Baghdad
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AfghanistanIn the land of the hopeless
More than two years after the Taliban seized power, Afghans are battling psychological problems in response to the apparent hopelessness of the situation in their country. A report from Kabul
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750th anniversary of Rumi’s death – Part 7"Light your beacon!"
In Rumi's lifetime, too, people were frightened by war and uncertainty. His poetry has much to teach us about human nature
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Turkey local elections and Internet censorshipErdogan's grand plan
Ahead of the local elections in March 2024, Turkey is facing increased Internet censorship, with the government blocking web pages and VPN services. The move is part of Erdogan's strategy to regain control over major cities
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Indonesia's presidential electionK-Pop not Islam
This year's Valentine's Day saw a presidential election in Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy. Conservative-Islamic morals and panic-mongering tactics took a back seat on social media channels filled with music, cat videos…and elderly presidential hopefuls dancing
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750th anniversary of Rumi's death – Part 6Academic research and spiritual exploration
No Islamic mystic in the past two centuries has touched literary figures and academics in both East and West as much as Rumi. A look at the history of research into this hugely influential spiritual teacher
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German academia and the war in GazaUniversities must remain places of dialogue
Discussions about the Middle East conflict naturally tend towards polarisation. In Germany, showing empathy for victims of political violence in Israel while drawing attention to the suffering of Gazan and West Bank Palestinians, who bear the brunt of any major confrontation, is a tricky balancing act
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German immigration policyYazidis relive the horror as deportation looms
Recently Germany's "culture of welcome" has given way to a much tougher asylum and immigration policy. Now Yazidi survivors of IS genocide face an uncertain, potentially re-traumatising future