Society

Egyptian video archive 858.ma

Nothing but the truth

The battle for images and symbols rages on: seven years after the start of the Egyptian revolution, the media collective Mosireen is trying to challenge the official state narrative with a wealth of citizen video material. By Christopher Resch
By Christopher Resch
Egypt's presidential election

The defamation game

The Egyptian regime has been resorting to defamation campaigns to target its opponents as a tactic to silence and discredit any critical voices, claims leading activist Esraa Abdel Fattah in her commentary
By Esraa Abdel Fattah
Friedrich Ebert Foundation publishes MENA youth study

The optimism of youth

A study by Germany's Friedrich Ebert Foundation shows that young people from Arabic-speaking countries have an optimistic outlook on life, but little faith in politics. Christoph Hasselbach spoke to the study's co-editor for more insight
By Christoph Hasselbach
Diversity in the workforce

Getting integration right

Changing demographics, a shortage of skilled workers, digitalisation – German companies have to do some re-thinking as they are increasingly forced to rely on "outsiders". But how? Some answers from Insa Wrede
By Insa Wrede
Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef

Jihadists, please blow here!

During the Arab Spring, satirist Bassem Youssef was loved and feared. Then he fled the country. Now he′s mocking in America. By Dunja Ramadan
By Dunja Ramadan
Turkish exiles′ news portal "Ahval"

Hardly politically neutral

Dissident Turkish journalists have taken refuge with foreign information platforms. The latest of these, in Arabic, has some rather dubious supporters however. By Joseph Croitoru
By Joseph Croitoru
Anti-Semitism debate in Germany

Time for objectivity

In the wake of Trump's Jerusalem decision, German newspapers reported on demonstrations in Berlin where protesters allegedly chanted the slogan "Death to the Jews". A piece of fake news, as it turned out. Time to apologise for the panic-mongering, says Armin Langer
By Armin Langer
Moscow's cultural policy in the Middle East

Arab ambassadors for Russian interests

The Kremlin is seeking to spread its influence abroad through its foreign cultural work. The plan is working brilliantly in the Middle East, says Joseph Croitoru
By Joseph Croitoru
Goethe-Institut education initiatives in the MENA region

Getting behind civil society

News from the Middle East and North Africa often conveys the image of a troubled region characterised by political and economic volatility. But there are many more facets to life in this region than this image suggests, as shown by the projects the Goethe-Institut is running in the region. By Christina Büns
By Christina Büns
Interview with Mahvash Sabet

Lyrical flights

Mahvash Sabet, a leading representative of the Baha'i religion, spent almost ten years in Iranian prisons because of her faith. She was released in September. Sabet turned her experiences during her confinement into poems, which she managed to smuggle out of prison. Interview by Keyvandokht Ghahari
By Keyvandokht Ghahari
″Christmas and the Qu′ran″

When love comes down

″Christmas and the Qu′ran″, Karl-Josef Kuschel′s scholarly examination of the Christmas story in the light of the New Testament and the Koran, digs deep to deliver a message of hope. Lucy James read the book
By Lucy James
Pew Research Center study

Islam does not stand in antithesis to the West

A study by the Washington-based Pew Research Center says the number of Muslims living in Europe is set to increase. But this is no reason to conjure up the spectre of an Islamisation of the West, says Loay Mudhoon
By Loay Mudhoon