Democracy and civil society
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Leftist politics in Syria"I don't care whether Marx or Muhammad takes the credit"
Since Assad's fall in December 2024, Syrians have witnessed both displays of unity and renewed sectarian violence. A national identity that transcends sect and ideology is the key to a stable future, says Syrian leftist Sami Hadaya.
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Syrian architects' group Syrbanism"For a just reconstruction, the people must have a voice"
Since 2017, Syrbanism has been connecting architects and urbanists across the Syrian diaspora. In the wake of Assad's fall, founders Edwar Hanna and Nour Harastani travelled to Damascus to work on their vision of a democratic reconstruction.
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Kuwait’s political futureCan semi-democracy survive?
Six months after Kuwait's new emir dissolved parliament, its members have yet to resume their work. Still, there are strong indications that the country’s unique parliamentary system will prevail.
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Support for Palestine in GermanyA nation gripped by moral panic
The Bundestag has passed a new resolution against antisemitism, which critics warn could endanger freedom of expression. Sociologist Donatella della Porta examines recent debates on antisemitism in Germany, arguing that a moral panic has resulted in the construction of an administrative apparatus that suppresses progressive voices.
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Regime change in BangladeshForcing the "Iron Lady" into exile
It all began with student protests against a quota law: Eventually, military pressure forced Bangladesh's long-time prime minister into exile. Student-led agitations and political movements have a long history in Bangladesh, even before the birth of the nation in 1971.
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Animal welfare in TurkeyWhat fate for Turkey's stray dogs?
The Turkish government's draft bill seeking euthanasia for stray dogs en masse has raised concerns among animal rights activists and many in the country. But some say attacks by dogs are increasingly alarming and that such danger must be removed from the streets.
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What is anti-Semitism?How do you differentiate?
A new anthology sheds light on the various forms of anti-Semitism and the academic debate surrounding it in the light of current controversial debates
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The animals of Istanbul – a literary homageA dog barks, a seagull mews
Istanbul's kings and queens are its seagulls, the cats and dogs in its alleyways, the pigeons on Taksim Square. The city's animals are also an essential component of its literature. A new anthology of short stories by Turkish-language authors offers up a narrative tribute to the city's non-human inhabitants
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German coverage of the Middle East"Germany's reputation is suffering"
Media expert Kai Hafez talks to Qantara.de about German coverage of the Gaza war, traditional narratives and the link to Islamophobic attitudes within society
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War in GazaWhen children are seen as the enemy
A racist view of Palestinian children contributes to an acceptance of the fact that they are dying in their thousands in Gaza
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Israeli peace activist Yoav Peck on the Gaza war"I am appalled by the hard-heartedness"
Peace activist and former Sulha Peace Project director Yoav Peck talks about the Gaza war, the hardening of the fronts in Israel – and his vision for the future
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Women's movements in Turkey"We women have learned a lot from each other"
From the Kurdish women's movement to the labour movement and Muslim feminists: the German anthology "Women's Movements in Turkey" builds a bridge between activism and academia. A conversation with the editors Iclal Ayse Kucukkirca and Handan Caglayan