Most recent articles by Rainer Hermann
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Turkish musicFighting for freedom with the lute, not the sword
The poetry of Pir Sultan once prompted uprisings in the Ottoman Empire. To this day, Alevis identify with him. Rainer Hermann visited Mehmet Celebi, a direct descendant of the medieval bard, who lives in the house Pir Sultan built in a tiny mountain village in Turkey
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Gaziantep Academy of Culinary ArtsBaklava, but not for beginners
Gaziantep in south-eastern Turkey boasts a rich culinary history. Keen to preserve ancestral recipes for posterity, local chef Ugur Acioglu has founded an academy for the culinary arts. Rainer Hermann reports
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Istanbul in 24 hoursWhat's it like to live in a fractured city?
Turkey is so much more than its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Christiane Schloetzer has selected twenty-four of Istanbul's sixteen million inhabitants, creating a portrait of the Bosphorus metropolis based on their life stories. By Rainer Hermann
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Climate crisis and over-populationThe Arab world has no answers
As challenges such as population growth and the end of the fossil fuel era loom large, not a single Arab regime is in a position to meet them. It is now incumbent upon Europe to encourage a response. Commentary by Rainer Hermann
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After BarcelonaIslamist terrorism in Europe: Besting the beast
Jihadism is the hydra of terror. Once one group has been defeated, the next will follow. This is making the fight against terrorism increasingly difficult. By Rainer Hermann
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After the attack in SurucTurkey fighting on two fronts
After a decade of relative calm, terror has returned to Turkey. The country has now decided to fight this terror on two flanks simultaneously. According to Rainer Hermann, this escalation could have been avoided
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Islam and the modern ageMoving beyond dogmatic doctrine
Whoever equates Islam with Islamists has allowed themselves to be taken in by the radicals and ignores the fact that there are many liberal Muslims who have adapted their faith to the requirements of the modern world. By Rainer Hermann
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Saudi Arabia and AmericaThe Estrangement of Two Allies
Saudi Arabia feels as though it has been left in the lurch by the US. Primary thorns in the Saudis' side are Washington's energy policy, its rapprochement with Iran and its conduct in the Syrian conflict. Riyadh is now going its own way. By Rainer Hermann
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Egypt after the Military CoupDead End
Egypt's new regime has abandoned any attempts to give itself a fig leaf of legitimization. Armed forces chief Sisi has only widened the gulf between the camps. A commentary by Rainer Hermann
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After the Arab RevolutionsIslamic Modernity
An enormous whirlwind of change has been unleashed by the upheavals in the Arab world and the long-term effects are unforeseeable. A middle course will have to be charted between the precepts of Islam and the demands of revolution. By Rainer Hermann
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Interview with Mohamed Morsi''We Don't Want a Theocratic State''
"We believe in a modern state, in which the transfer of power takes place peacefully and in which democracy and freedom prevail." With these words, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi expressed the sentiment that his country does not wish to become a theocratic state. Here is the full interview of President Morsi with Markus Bickel and Rainer Hermann
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Egypt before the First Post-Mubarak Parliamentary ElectionOrganised Uncertainty
Although Egypt's first free election is due to take place in two months' time, the country still does not have an electoral law. The reason is quite straightforward: the military wants to shape the way the electorate votes. Rainer Hermann reports