Most recent articles by Sabine Peschel
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Germany's LiteraturkfestivalDissecting the toxic concept of Heimat
The German term 'Heimat', of which the English equivalent 'home' is merely a pale imitation, has much to do with demarcation, with "us" and "them". At the Literaturk Festival in Essen, four authors talk about their lives as the "others" in Germany. By Sabine Peschel
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Between religion, oil dependence and reformsSaudi Arabia under Mohammed bin Salman
An expert on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Guido Steinberg explains that the drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities last week were partly a manifestation of complex religious and historical forces. By Sabine Peschel
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"The Ministry of Utmost Happiness"Novelist Arundhati Roy: "India is colonising itself"
Described as the "conscience of India" in Time's 2014 list of 100 most influential people, author Arundhati Roy has a voice that counts. Speaking in Berlin, she introduced her long-awaited second work of fiction. By Sabine Peschel
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Interview with Israeli author Etgar KeretWhy the world is under threat
Acclaimed author Etgar Keret is often viewed as a traitor due to his outspoken criticism of the Israeli government. Etgar spoke to Sabine Peschel about why he finds Berlin so tolerant and why he'd propose a three-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
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Interview with Turkish author Elif ShafakDemocracy in a downward spiral
In interview with Sabine Peschel, best-selling Turkish author Elif Shafak warns against the disintegration of democratic values and the rise of authoritarianism in Turkey and across Europe
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Poems by young refugeesHolding back the tears
A writing project has turned young refugees from Afghanistan into poets. The creative talents read their work at the International Literature Festival in Berlin, where many listeners found themselves fighting back the tears. By Sabine Peschel
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Interview with French-Indian author Shumona Sinha″Looking for the truth″
Sinha′s novel ″Erschlagt die Armen!″ is based on her personal experience of working in a French agency where refugees apply for political asylum. Flying in the face of political correctness, the book has now won her a major literature prize. Interview by Sabine Peschel
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Interview with the Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany″I write to defend democracy″
Best-selling novelist Alaa Al Aswany was one of the main protagonists in the 2011 Egyptian uprising and remains a high-profile government critic. Interview by Sabine Peschel
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Interview with Sari Nusseibeh"Israelis and Palestinians will have to start thinking seriously about a one-state solution"
Sari Nusseibeh is a Palestinian philosophy professor and was president of al-Quds University in Jerusalem from 1995 to 2014, where he still teaches. For many years, he was the most senior Palestinian official in East Jerusalem. In this interview with Sabine Peschel at the recent Goethe-Institut conference "Dialogue and the experience of the other" in Berlin, he speaks about Israeli–Palestinian negotiations, the upcoming elections in Israel, the legacy of the Arab Spring and the rise of Islamic State