Islam in Southeast Asia
All topics-
Theatre in Pakistan
"I just want to dance"
Young performers in Lahore are shaping their lives outside the perceptions of Pakistani society, which views many art forms as obscene. As part of a new generation that hopes to change the country, they find themselves taking on conservative mullahs, censorship bodies and sometimes even their own families. By Karin A. Wenger with photos by Philipp Breu
-
Women in Malaysia
SYA, Def Jam's taboo-breaking female Malaysian rapper
The first female signing for label Def Jam – the label behind superstars from Jay-Z and Rihanna to BTS and Justin Bieber – in Southeast Asia, SYA's debut single "PrettyGirlBop" tackles misogyny and acceptance in her Muslim-majority homeland
-
India's role in the Kashmir killings
Provoking and punishing Muslims, manipulating minorities
Since India stripped Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status in 2019, much new legislation has been passed that critics and Kashmiris alike fear could alter the region's demographics. Now, an online portal aimed at handling property complaints submitted by migrant Hindus has triggered a spate of killings, further heightening the tension. Aljaz Hussain reports
-
Climate change in Bangladesh
The end of the line for climate migrants in Dhaka
Global warming is driving domestic migration in Bangladesh, which sits just above sea level. With a population of 160 million, it is the most densely populated nation in the world. Former fisherman Jahangir Alam, now a rickshaw driver in Dhaka, is one of a huge number of people who are fighting for their very existence. By Dominik Muller
-
Religious persecution in Pakistan
Violence increasing against the beleaguered Ahmadiyya community
Pakistan's anti-Ahmadi laws have been in place for almost 40 years now, and the impact on this religious minority has been devastating. In a war of attrition, the laws have ground down the Ahmadi community, scarring an entire generation. Fear, flight and persecution are the hallmarks of life for the Ahmadiyya in Pakistan. According to Mohammad Luqman, there is little hope of improvement
-
India and the farmers' protests
Solidarity mounts against Narendra Modi's BJP
The farmers' protests in India show no signs of abating – despite repressive measures. Government attempts to stigmatise the farmers have only prompted sections of the urban middle class to support the uprising. And the boundaries between the different religious identities, repeatedly invoked by the Hindu nationalists in the ruling party BJP, also appear to be softening. By Dominik Muller
-
Arundhati Roy's "Azadi"
Narendra Modi is pushing Indian society to the brink
Arundhati Roy's recent volume of essays and lectures provides an eye-opening account of current political developments in India. Written during the run-up to the last general election, "Azadi" charts India's disturbing slide into authoritarianism. Richard Marcus read the book
-
The generals, the Buddhists and the Rohingya
Myanmar's Gen Z – "You messed with the wrong generation"
Protests against the 1 February military coup, which ousted Aun San Suu Kyi, continue in Myanmar despite an increasingly brutal crackdown. At the same time there are signs that widespread public resentment against the country's Muslim Rohingya minority may be softening. Dominik Muller reports
-
Sufi musik: Qawwali ensemble "Fanna-fi-Allah"
Searching for God's love
Fanna-fi-Allah is the West's most renowned Qawwali ensemble. It stands out not only for its strong stage presence, but also for its commitment to preserving the centuries-old tradition. By Marian Brehmer
-
Teenage pregnancies in Pakistan
What sex education is really about
Young people in many developing countries are not systematically taught about reproductive health and the psychology of intimacy. It is harmful to keep all things sexual shrouded in secrecy – as is evident in Pakistan, for example, where many girls are still married off in their teens. By Mahwish Gul
-
India, a crumbling democracy
Narendra Modi's vendetta against free-thinking academics
Dozens of academics, writers and civic activists have been arrested in India on charges of sedition, terrorism and inciting violence. Sruti Bala asks why a country that sees itself as a global power in the knowledge economy of the future is turning on its public intellectuals?
-
Pakistan and the Gulf
Arab allies jump ship over Pakistan's 'new Kashmir policy'
Lacking support from Arab countries for its stance on the Kashmir dispute, Pakistan is looking for new alliances under China's leadership. How practical is it for Islamabad to pursue its new foreign policy? By Haroon Janjua