Society

"Eternal" wine revives Assyrian culture in Turkey

Assyrian merchant Yuhanna Aktas no longer has to hide from villagers in his conservative corner of southern Turkey that the grapes they harvest are destined to become wine.
Discrimination against black people in the MENA region

Not just a Western problem

Racism exists in the Arab world. People with dark skin are discriminated against and often see their rights curtailed. Activists have had enough of such treatment and are starting to rise up. The greatest progress has been made in Tunisia. By Mona Naggar
By Mona Naggar
Canada's Islamic History Month 2021

Fighting "othering" on all fronts

Ever since a 2007 decree by the Canadian parliament, October has been celebrated as the country's Islamic History Month. Four weeks of events across the country highlight the significant role Muslims play in Canadian society and their extraordinary contribution to world culture. By Richard Marcus
By Richard Marcus
Sex education in the Arab world

Let's talk about sex, habibi!

Sex education – taboo in the Middle East. Or is it? Thanks to social media, millions these days are daring to ask everything about "it". Jennifer Holleis has the details
By Jennifer Holleis
Freedom of the press in Turkey

Recep Tayyip Erdogan tightens the media thumbscrews

Critics are in for a rough ride: in future, opposition media in Turkey that receives funding from abroad will have to disclose all sources of income. Journalists' associations fear a further attack on press freedoms. By Hilal Koylu
By Hilal Köylü
Prostitution in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Open-minded, loving... and desperate

How did the Islamic revolutionaries deal with prostitution and sex workers in Iran, and how does the business of sex work in Iran today? Have supply and demand changed four decades after the ayatollahs came to power? By Nasrin Bassiri
By Nasrin Bassiri
Migrants and the EU

Is Europe ready for a post-COVID migration wave?

Unauthorised immigration to Europe went down at the peak of the pandemic. As EU countries re-open, migrant flows are back up. What does it mean for the EU – and for migrants? By Sonya Angelica Diehn
By Sonya Angelica Diehn
Middle East in the Second World War

Nazis had their sights set on Palestine

Newly discovered aerial photographs taken by the German Luftwaffe show what a keen interest the Germans took in British-controlled Palestine during the Second World War. Not only that, they provide a unique pictorial record of the region during this period. Joseph Croitoru reports
By Joseph Croitoru
Religions for Peace conference in Lindau

Fighting hate speech, climate change and COVID-19 together

Religions are often a source of conflict. But the worldwide Religions for Peace movement seeks to change that by galvanising interreligious dialogue. Delegates from 90 countries are meeting this week in Germany. The involvement and commitment of young women at this year's conference is striking. By Christoph Strack
By Christoph Strack
More German MPs with a migrant background

Germany's 2021 election – the diverse lawmakers making history

At 735 members, Germany's newly elected Bundestag is the largest it has ever been. But it is also becoming more diverse. More members of parliament come from ethnic minorities. It's a historic opportunity. By Lisa Hanel
By Lisa Hänel
Prostitution in the Shah's Iran

Shahr-e No – "the neighbourhood of the sorrowful"

Drawing on the history of Tehran's Shahr-e No red light district, Nasrin Bassiri describes how prostitution functioned in Iran before the Islamic Revolution. The neighbourhood would end up being destroyed in August 1980, six months after Khomeini came to power
By Nasrin Bassiri
Future-proofing Islam

Focus on the soul of Islam

Indonesian religious affairs minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas set the bar high for both President Joko Widodo and Nahdlatul Ulama – the religious backbone of Widodo's government – when he laid out the agenda for his country's presidency of the G20 last week. James M. Dorsey has the details
By James M. Dorsey