Islam and the West
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War in UkraineImplications for the future of EU-Turkey relations
Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine is a watershed event for Europe and the wider world, Turkey included. While Ankara is trying to protect its economy and security interests, anti-Western narratives dominate the public debate, writes Sinem Adar
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PakistanHow will Imran Khan’s removal affect Pakistan's fragile democracy?
Now, out of power, Imran Khan actually has a better chance of striking a blow for democracy and civilian supremacy – if he chooses to do so, writes Ahsan I Butt
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Christians in the Middle EastRebuilding churches in Iraq
Much effort is being put into rebuilding churches in Iraq that were destroyed by Islamic State. The message of hope is for Christians to return. Judit Neurink reports from Mosul
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War in Ukraine and the WestPutin's fight and our illusions
Faced with Russia's war against Ukraine, "the West" is once again getting tangled up in its own propaganda, invoking the threat of a clash of civilisations when it comes to the question as to which side Ukraine belongs. An essay by Stefan Weidner
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Reconstruction in IraqMosul's Old City rises from rubble in Iraq
Beneath what remains of the 12th-century Al-Hadba minaret, builders work on a project to revive Mosul's Old City, reduced to rubble during Iraq's battle to retake the city from jihadists. Mosques, churches and century-old houses are being brought back to life in the northern metropolis, which the Islamic State group seized as its stronghold before being pushed out in mid-2017.
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Ukraine warThe deep desire to declare a state of emergency
Russia's attack on Ukraine took Germany by surprise. The "end of an era" has shifted the political focus to the military, bringing back stale memories of the Western response to the attacks of 9/11. Essay by Stefan Buchen
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Muslims in the WestCan democracy tolerate Muslims at all?
"Muslimaniac" is what political scientist Ozan Zakariya Keskinkilic calls Western society's invention of Muslims as a problem: a shimmering term that mixes social construction and obsession with the passionate, ironic spirit of breaking free from stereotypes. Brilliantly and bitingly, he writes about consistent alienation and paves the way towards rapprochement. Interview by Schayan Riaz
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Berlinale 2022: "Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush"The Guantanamo mother
Andreas Dresen's Berlinale film "Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush" is the gripping portrayal of a mother determined to get her son released from Guantanamo. By Torsten Landsberg
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America and the War on TerrorGuantanamo's "forever prisoners"
The notorious U.S. prison camp is 20 years old. Over the years, several plans to close it have been rejected. For the detainees, little has changed in the last two decades. Oliver Sallet reports from Guantanamo Bay
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Fatima & Zawahry's "American*ish"Not quite the American dream
"American*ish" – co-written by Aizzah Fatima and Iman K. Zawahry, and directed by the latter – is a rom com for an America too many don't want to acknowledge. Whereas most mainstream American TV and films present the Muslim immigrant community as a monolithic group with a kind of hive mind, this film goes out of its way to break the mould. By Richard Marcus
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Afghanistan's humanitarian crisisCan the Taliban avert a food crisis without foreign aid?
In view of the catastrophic supply situation in Afghanistan, UN authorities are sounding the alarm. Inflation and growing poverty are exacerbating the situation. The Taliban reportedly have an emergency programme to combat the crisis. By Shabnam von Hein
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Interview with Islamic reformer Mustafa Akyol"Islam needs its own enlightenment"
Turkish author and journalist Mustafa Akyol is one of the foremost pioneers of an Islam reconciled with modernity. Musa Bagrac spoke with Akyol for Qantara.de about his new book "Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance" and the chances for Islamic reform